Sociological Assessment in the Higher Education: Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to Research

Abstract

The article reviews classical and modern approaches to theoretical interpretation and empirical studies of the sociological assessment in higher education. The problem of quality in the higher education is examined through inability of social reflection related to high rates of socio-economic processes in the society. In this respect, timely and regular social measurement is integral to modernization of the higher education. The authors emphasize the importance of the analysis of classical and modern approaches that allow identifying dominant parameters used in the multi-paradigm sociological evaluation of the higher education. The authors conclude that a set of quality indicators of the higher education measured by many researchers needs more than just precision, it needs renewal. Findings also suggest that the analysis of quality assessment in the higher education should comprise two important parts: assessment of a student`s knowledge and assessment of the performance of educational institutions, the entire system of education at municipal, regional and federal levels. Based on the analysis of domestic and foreign resources and results of related studies, the possible ways of studying modern Russian education are introduced.