The method of graphical rank analysis in the study of ratings of educational institutions

Introduction. Educational institutions (EI) ratings presented in a list or in the form of rating tables do not give an idea of the adequacy and objectivity of the system of criteria and rating indicators chosen by managers. Therefore, the published EI ratings, including in 2021, are criticized, require confirmation of the adequacy of their criteria and indicators by other methods. This is the method of graphical rank analysis in combination with the coenological approach. This method also makes it possible to identify any set of objects with a coenosis.

Purpose setting. The appearance in Russia of a new type of EI – online schools determined the first task of the study, which is to answer the question: "Is the totality of Russian online schools a random set of objects or is it a new kind of sociocoenosis?" The second task of the study is to test and apply the method of graphical rank analysis based on coenological approach to assessing the ratings of educational institutions in 2021 by analogy with the methodology for assessing the validity of test tasks developed earlier.

Methodology of the study. Graphical rank analysis with a coenological approach is based on the construction of graphical rank distributions using computer technology and their approximation to a hyperbolic function – the dependence of the parameter under study (in our case, the rating quality indicator) in descending order from the increasing rank number r = 1, 2, 3,…. The coincidence of the empirical and theoretical graphs of rank distributions indicates that this set of objects belongs to the coenosis (or to its population – part of the coenosis).

Results. The results of applying graphical rank analysis to a new phenomenon in the Russian education system – online schools are presented and it is proved that this new community of online schools is a new type of sociocoenosis in the systematics of educational institutions in Russia. The possibility of applying the method of graphical rank analysis with a coenological approach to the evaluation of the ratings of EI is shown. This method made it possible to determine the quality levels of rating systems for evaluating the activities of educational institutions. The evaluation of the ratings of educational institutions in 2021, conducted using this method, showed average and high levels of quality of the ratings considered.

Conclusion. The method of graphical rank analysis with a coenological approach allows us to quickly and effectively assess the adequacy of the rating of educational institutions in a formal mathematical way without delving into the content of each rating indicator, which is its scientific value, theoretical and practical significance.

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