Abstract:

The outcomes based on measurement of learning are particularly important at program level because they can provide to the stakeholders (employers, trustees, public officials, accreditation agencies, students, future candidates, sponsoring companies) the proof and the evidence based arguments that the educational entity is attaining its mission regarding the assumed learning objectives.

In order to identify if the learning goals, assumed at program and course level, have been attained or not a selection of assessment techniques are used. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how the assessment of learning approach can be used in order to appraise at course level if the targets regarding the professional learning goals of the program and the specific objectives of the course are achieved. The research is realized at the level of the course “Multinational corporate finance”, part of the curriculum of Master program “Financial management and investments” taught in the Faculty of Finance and Banking from Bucharest University of Economic Studies.

In practice, the recommendation is that the measurement for the assessment of learning must be done at the end of the program. If the target for a specific learning goal is not achieved, the search is going down at the level of the courses contribution to build up of the skills, knowledge and attitude for that specific learning goal. The paper presents how, proactively the assessment of learning can be done at course level in order to periodically check how the course is realizing the assigned target in relation with the program Learning goals, the course specific objectives and how to use the obtained results for continuous improvement at course level. Consequently the basic research question of the paper refers to how to use the assessment of learning (AOL) results at course level as proactive verification of accomplishment, at the course level regarding the professional learning goals (professional objectives) assigned from program level and the specific objectives of the course and how to increase the quality of knowledge transfer and students’ learning. In other words the paper presents the results of learning assessment at course level and continuous improvement measures (CIM) taken to maintain the learning quality and positively contribute to the achievement of learning goals at program level.

Assessment of learning together with continuous improvement represents powerful tools in ensuring quality and sustainability in higher education. This paper proposes a practical model for assessment of learning designed at course level as part of the assessment of learning for the curriculum as a whole. Our endeavor tries to contribute to the literature dedicated to the subject by applying a model of assessment of course learning objectives attainment. We validate our approach and the model using the results of measurements applied in three academic years of a course from a master program, respectively from 2014-2017.

Keywords:

Financial education, assessment of learning at course level, program learning and course specific objectives, course continuous improvement, quality in teaching.