Assessment of professional skills for students in computing and engineering programs

Abstract

Instruction and assessment of students' professional skills can be accomplished in senior project courses. Common learning modules for instruction of essential professional skills and rubrics for assessing the attainment of those skills can be used by both engineering and computing programs. This paper proposes a process by which faculty develop program learning outcomes based on the mission of the university, then develop learning and demonstration activities to determine the degree to which those outcomes are obtained. It further describes a process which uses portfolio assessment and a senior presentation and interview day to provide faculty with opportunity to assess student behaviors and capabilities.