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Session 3530

Incorporating Student Assessment Skills into MET Outcomes and Courses Craig Johnson Central Washington University

Abstract

Assessments used to improve the quality of education have recently been stated by ABET in its EC2000 list of A-K outcomes with similar criteria proposed by TAC. A difficulty lies in quantifying and documenting the assessment of these outcomes. From another perspective, employers typically use performance reviews which depend on assessing an employee’s performance in a similar manner. Students in MET curricula who do not commonly use these assessment techniques and may enter the work environment ill-prepared. This paper reviews two examples of incorporating student assessment into MET/Manufacturing Option classes. In an Applications of Strength of Materials class, students prepare a report of mechanical characterization test results, and grade/rank each other’s reports. Statistics are used to assess the effectiveness of their criteria and weighting system, and the feedback provides a means to improve their skills. In a second example, a CAD/CAM class is organized into ‘companies’ which assign job descriptions, get RFP’s, create proposals, and carry out a phase II contract. In this process learning environment both company and student performance is reviewed and includes the use of peer assessment. Periodic assessment of company reports and individual journals encourage the student to improve themselves.

Introduction

There are two issues concerning assessment that engineering educators should address: 1)using assessment as a process to improve Engineering Technology (ET) programs, and 2)developing technical assessment skills in students. The first issue is current and relevant to TAC-ABET program criteria. The second issue is less visible, but student assessment skills can also be related to TAC-ABET as well as industry criteria.

Assessment can be applied to both processes and products. Education, for example, is a process. As educators, one of our jobs is to assure and improve the quality of that process. As engineers, we have tools to do this. Historically Deming, Taguchi and Juran contributed methods which can be related to the Total Quality Management (TQM) concept1 which addresses the quality of both process and product. Shewart1 developed another tool called statistical process control (SPC). The ISO 9000 standard is another example of an engineering tool aimed at improving manufacturing processes, and only the process (not the product) is addressed2. These engineering tools are primarily aimed at process improvement and have contributed to the new TAC-ABET criteria.

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Johnson, C. (1999, June), Incorporating Student Assessment Skills Into Met Outcomes And Courses Paper presented at 1999 Annual Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina. 10.18260/1-2--7730