Strategies for assessment of student learning outcomes via the final project in a general education acoustics course

Abstract

Learning outcomes of the final project in an undergraduate general education acoustics course were assessed via three short essay questions on an open book final exam. For the project, students construct a simple sound-making device or musical instrument that produces at least four different sounds using ordinary household objects, recyclables, etc. They are required to develop a hypothesis about how changes in the device will change the properties of the sounds. They then test their hypotheses using spectrograms, FFT measurements, and/or sound level measurements. The written responses of 60 students were downloaded and stripped of identifiers. The first two essay questions were designed to assess whether students could connect the steps of their project with the scientific method and explain therationale for their choice of measurement methods based on their hypothesis. These results were assessed via rubrics. The third question was an open-ended reflection on what they learned about acoustics by completing the project, and how they learned it. These responses were assessed via qualitative data analysis. Results, key findings, and implications for the design of the assignment and future assessments will be discussed.