Creating Learning Interest in the Course "Earthquake Resistant Design of Structures" using Innovative Assessment Methods

It is generally a known fact that as students come to the final year of their degree programme, they get involved in many other activities which are required for defining their future career. This sometimes lead to lesser attention in teaching-learning which has adverse affects when some unavoidable important course are to be taught only in the final semester after completing all the prerequisite requirements in the preceding semesters. This paper recommends the use of a set of innovative evaluation methods like technical quiz, seminar, mini-project and research based article writing with their appropriate weightage for calculating the internal continuous assessment instead of having only single mode of written test as practiced in conventional system. A study was carried out involving 80 students of IV year Civil Engineering in the course ‘Earthquake Resistant Design of Structures’. Students were asked to give seminars in which they were tested on ability to comprehensively present and communicate the technical details. The published research articles were analysed by the students to identify the newer methods and software used. Students also got to work on a mini project at a lab scale level. The slow learners and medium learners did a much better performance in conducting projects showing increased interest in the course. The study reveals that student involvement should be retained in innovative ways till the last semester of their degree programme which has many tangible and intangible advantages in enhancing the competence of the students.