Diverse assessment methods in group work settings

Abstract

The learning experience of an undergraduate student is strongly influenced by the assessment scheme used and the mid-course feedback modes employed. Within the student population there is a wide variety of perceptions of teaching and learning, and to accommodate these, a diverse range of assessment and feedback activities are required, which is a challenge for group-orientated problem-based learning, since much of the learning occurs within the groups and away from the direct supervision of the unit coordinators. In our suite of second year chemical engineering units of study, a range of assessment styles have been explored, including group-written project reports, interviews, confidential self and peer-assessments, individual laboratory reports, quizzes and a final examination. Real engineering scenarios are used in the projects which thus are open-ended and complex—recent examples include the overall design of a desalination plant, the design of the piping network and power requirements for a major city's water supply, and the design of a soap and cosmetics factory. A high level of student engagement and enthusiasm for the project work has been observed, in large part due to the real-world nature of the projects, coupled with the stimuli provided by the range of assessment activities used.