The value of a quality assurance (QA) system in higher education is enhanced by the QA system’s effectiveness which benefits greatly from enriched student learning outcomes from students college learning experiences. Such learning outcomes, often in the form of artifacts, provide the sole bases for an effective assessment of student learning quality, hence premises for enhancing QA in higher education. Analyses of course taking patterns in Chinese institutions of higher education find heavily clustered courses required of students for the first three years. A separate survey reveals that course assignment is not common. A disparity is found between students’ in-take (time spent attending classes) and output (artifacts of learning outcomes produced from course assignment completion expectations), which may contribute to the current input-based assessment design, and weaken the value of the assessment practices. This paper argues for an outcomes-based assessment (OBA) to enhance QA of teaching and learning and to facilitate a learning-expected paradigm shift for Chinese higher education.

Jianrong Sun
Associate Vice President (international Affairs)
Dean, University International College (UIC)
Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau
Research area: assessment of student learning outcomes, institutional accreditation, faculty development, international education, e-learning design and assessment, pragmatics

Linghui Tian
Associate Professor
Institute of Higher Education
Fudan University
Research area: Education policy evaluation, teaching quality assessment and accountability, data-driven decision making for school improvement