Benchmarking educational quality – an independent analysis and alternative approach

In a ten-year study over thirty STEM units in seven nationally accredited institutions (two colleges, five universities, including a five-star teaching university) in two different countries were analyzed to evaluate their educational quality using a range of criteria and benchmarked against the finalists of the 2010 IEEE global award for academics. Unit content and teaching were found to be almost exclusively based on Constructivist based principles. However, Constructivism provides subjective guidelines open to different interpretations. The analyzed units demonstrated considerable variation in pass rates and educational standards. One unit consistently achieved circa 100% pass rates but at the expense of the standard of learning outcomes – far below any reasonable expectations. At the other extreme one unit achieved a higher standard of learning but with pass rates below 30%. This problem can potentially be addressed by using the new quantitative Cognitive Load Optimization learning theory and technology.