assessment methods in problem based and project based learning · problem based and project based...

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UNESCO Chair in Problem Based Learning in Engineering Education, Aalborg University

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Assessment methods in

Problem Based and Project

Based Learning

Anette Kolmos, PhD,

Professor and Chairholder,

UNESCO Chair in Problem Based Learning

Track 1: Advancing Global Engineering Education Research , session 3

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Active learning

Enquiry based learning

Service learning

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1. PBL Global Network www.ucpbl.net

2. Research

3. Master Program on Problem Based

Learning in Engineering and Science

http://www.mpbl.aau.dk

4. Consultancy


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PBL research• PBL-learning system:

– Definition of PBL, PBL models and theoretical understanding

– New teacher roles,

– Students’ learning process

– Assessment systems, etc.

• Skills development and knowledge

• Identity development

• Change processes– Management

– Organizational change

– Faculty development

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PBL and assessment

• Assessment has an impact on the learning

process (Gibbs)

• Peer assessment has an impact on

motivation (Siegers)

• Individual assessment does not test

complex and collaborative knowledge (

Kolmos and Holgaard)

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Alingment

Goa

ls

Contents

Teaching and

learning methods

Ass

essm

ent

Teach

ers

Students

Physical space

and resources

Organisation and

culture

Values and

conceptual

change

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Complex collaborative knowledge

• Complex knowledge is both the content knowledge (Formal Bildung), methodological knowledge (Materiale Bildung), but also interdisciplinary skills in order to contextualised technical problems (Kategoriale Bildung).

• This complex, interdisciplinary and contextual approach calls for process knowledge to collaborate and manage complex projects.

• Innovation is based on collaborative knowledge and interdisciplinary knowledge (Sawyer, 2007)

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Supervisors

examinors

Team to beassessed

(Aud

ience)

OH screen

Black

board

Team based examination

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Main course of the assessment seminar

Presentation of project (students)

Comments to presentation (examiners)

Votation (examiners)

Giving marks and final comments

Detailed questions to

Team/individual team members

break

break

Team based examination

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Individual exam

– Individual examination and subsequent

grading, based on selected areas within

the documentation.

– A group presentation is part of the

documentation, but can not be taken into

consideration in the individual

assessment.

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Methods

• Empirically drawing on a survey including answers from more than 1151 students and examiners, summer 2006:– 794 students of which 14% were international

students and 15% was assessed individually

– 202 internal examiners

– 131 external examiners

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Preference towards assessment system

If you could choose which asessesment system

would you then prefer?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

International

students (n=85)

Danish students

(n=427)

Faculty examiners

(N=162)

External examiners

(n=131)

Prefer individual exam Prefer group based exam Do not know

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Skills

To what extent do you feel that the following skills were

evaluated at the exam? The students’ ability to a high or some

degree:

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Quickly answer

the asked

questions?

Remember

concepts and

definitions?

Relate different

concepts to each

other?

Students: group

exam (N=455)

Staff: group exam

(N=159)

External examiners:

group exam (N=130)

Students: individual

exam (58)

Staff: individual exam

(N=58)

External examiners:

individual exam

(N=42)

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Skills

To what extent do you feel that the following skills were

evaluated at the exam? The students’ ability to a high or

some degree:

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Argue for

methodological

choices?

Assume a

theoretical

overview?

Apply analytical

skills?

Students: group

exam (N=455)

Staff: group exam

(N=159)

External examiners:

group exam (N=130)


exam (58)

Staff: individual

exam (N=58)

External examiners:

individual exam

(N=42)

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Skills

To what extent do you feel that the following skills were evaluated

at the exam? The students’ ability to a high or some degree:

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Argue for and

against a solution

to a problem?

Transfer knowledge

gained in projects

to other situations?

Communicate

knowledge through

a presentation?

Students: group exam

(N=455)

Staff: group exam

(N=159)

External examiners:

group exam (N=130)


exam (58)


(N=58)

External examiners:

individual exam (N=42)

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Skills

To what extent do you feel that the following skills were evaluated

at the exam? The students’ ability to a high or some degree:

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Enter into

dialogue and

cooperation?

Complement and

expand on others

answers?

Participate in a

teamwork?

Students: group exam

(N=455)

Staff: group exam

(N=159)

External examiners:

group exam (N=130)


exam (58)


(N=58)

External examiners:

individual exam

(N=42)

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Deep understanding

How do you experience the possibilities of probing the students’

deeper academic understanding at an individual exam compared to

a group-based exam?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Faculty (N=70)

External examiners

(N=48)

Significant better Better The same Less Signiticant less Do not know

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Feed back

Students: To what extent do you feel that project exam has offered

satisfactory feedback on the group's work?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Group exam (N=469)

Individual exam (N=60)

Very much so To someextent To a low extent No, not at all Do not know

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Argumentations for team based exams

• “I dread a transition to an individual exam because I believe that this would result in a significant decline in the academic level. Besides I am of the opinion that the team based exam is the type of exam which best relate to the working environment which the students will be in later on.” (External examiner)

Picture: http://www.hcii.us/images/individual.jpg

• “I think it is important that the members of the group are tested in each others’ co-presence and in a collaborative process. It opens the possibility for partially evaluating their team play and co-operation, ability to stand out in a group, ability to follow up and to have an effect on a discourse.” (External examiner)

• “All the students are present during the assessment to be able tolearn something from the questions and comments to the other students. But it is crucial that there is an individual part where the students draw e.g. two questions which are then stated” (Faculty member).

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Institutional membership

-Website with link to institutional

members

- run workshops and conferences

Individual membership

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• One more from blog

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• One from mapping system

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libraryPBL library

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• Assessment of Project and Problem Based Learning.

Holgaard, J.E.; Kolmos, A.; Du, X. in: Joining Forces in

Engineering Education towards Excellence :

Proceedings SEFI and IGIP Joint Annual Conference

2007. 2007.

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