Effective Assessment Strategies for Project-Based Learning

Rapid technological changes have radically changed the expectations of employers from the current generation of engineering graduates, necessitating educators to focus on the development of core subject comprehension and required skills among the students in their engineering programs. Research has shown that project-based learning (PBL) is an effective pedagogy to address this dual requirement of core technical knowledge and skills to effectively utilize this knowledge to solve problems. PBL is a pedagogical approach wherein students work to address real-world problems and challenges through the application of knowledge acquired in the class, unlike the traditional classroom approach involving lectures, studying, and taking tests. The core of every PBL course involves effective cooperation, collaboration, and communication among students and between students and faculty. It is believed that this hands-on learning through problem-solving, combined with the development of soft skills, helps enhance learning outcomes and elevates learning to higher cognitive levels. An innovative course titled “Engineering Exploration”, taught and co-designed by a multidisciplinary faculty is offered at the authors’ institution. The course is a core component of the first-year undergraduate engineering curriculum. During this course, students learn about and apply the full range of engineering design tasks, from the development of need statements and problem definition to virtual and physical prototyping, to solve real-world problems. A continuing outcome of this course is interdisciplinary problem-solving, engineering design process, and teamwork. Effective assessment of student learning is a challenge in PBL courses. To address this constant challenge, the authors have developed a comprehensive assessment strategy, incorporating summative, formative, and diagnostic assessments, to assess student learning throughout the course. This paper presents a discussion of these strategies, our experiences and observations, and strategies to incorporate the same into PBL courses.