An assessment strategy to determine learning outcomes in a software engineering problem-based learning course

Mitchell, George; Delaney, J. Declan

Mitchell, George,Delaney, J. Declan · 2004

Abstract

This paper briefly explores the role of experiential learning in software engineering education, focusing on Problem-based Learning. An existing assessment strategy for grading individual students in a small group Problem-based Learning setting is described. Although the student grades obtained may be a reflection of the course success, and standard questionnaires are also employed to monitor student feedback, the authors devised a method to determine how the students themselves perceive the success of the course in terms of their own learning outcomes. As well as complementing the existing assessment strategy, this would allow them to evaluate the possibility of integrating student self-assessment into the overall assessment strategy and would act as a valuable feedback mechanism in fine-tuning the course. The results indicate that students perceive a marked increase in their knowledge as defined by the course curriculum. In addition, there is a significant difference between how course facilitators grade the students and how the students rate their own knowledge. Interestingly, no obvious correlation was found between the academic results of the students at the end of the previous year and their subsequent results in the Problem-based Learning course.

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An assessment strategy to determine learning outcomes in a software engineering problem-based learning course

Author: Mitchell, George,Delaney, J. Declan

Publisher: Tempus Publications

Year: 2004

Source: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/202/1/Abstract.PDF

A
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SSESSMENT
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TRATEGY TO
D
ETERMINE
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EARNING
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UTCOMES IN A
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OFTWARE
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NGINEERING
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ROBLEM
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BASED
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EARNING COURSE
GEORGE G. MITCHELL and JAMES DECLAN DELANEY
Depa men o Compu e Science, Na ional Uni e si y o I eland, Maynoo h, I eland.
This pape b ie ly explo es he ole o expe ien ial lea ning in so wa e enginee ing educa ion,
ocusing on P oblem-based Lea ning. An exis ing assessmen s a egy o g ading indi idual s uden s in a
small g oup P oblem-based Lea ning se ing is desc ibed. Al hough he s uden g ades ob ained may be a
e lec ion o he cou se success, and s anda d ques ionnai es a e also employed o moni o s uden eedback, he
au ho s de ised a me hod o de e mine how he s uden s hemsel es pe cei e he success o he cou se in e ms
o hei own lea ning ou comes. As well as complemen ing he exis ing assessmen s a egy, his would allow
hem o e alua e he possibili y o in eg a ing s uden sel -assessmen in o he o e all assessmen s a egy and
would ac as a aluable eedback mechanism in ine- uning he cou se. The esul s indica e ha s uden s
pe cei e a ma ked inc ease in hei knowledge as de ined by he cou se cu iculum. In addi ion, he e is a
signi ican di e ence be ween how cou se acili a o s g ade he s uden s and how he s uden s a e hei own
knowledge. In e es ingly, no ob ious co ela ion was ound be ween he academic esul s o he s uden s a he
end o he p e ious yea and hei subsequen esul s in he P oblem-based Lea ning cou se.
Keywo ds: so wa e enginee ing, expe ien ial lea ning, assessmen , P oblem-based Lea ning, g oup p ojec s