Evaluating student learning using pre - and post-course assessment

Yong Bai, Oswald Chong

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology has implemented new criteria for accrediting engineering programs since 1996. Under new criteria, each program must formulate program outcomes that foster attainment of the program objectives and develop an assessment process that demonstrates that these outcomes are being measured and indicates the degree to which the outcomes are achieved. To meet the ABET's challenge, a pre- and post-course assessment method has been developed to evaluate the student learning outcomes and implemented in a senior-level construction course entitled Construction Contracts. The concept of pre - and post-course assessment is quite simple. Students are given a pre-course assessment at the beginning of the semester and a post-course assessment at the end of semester. Each assessment includes a set of questions which covers basic topics of the course. During the development process, the objectives of the course were defined first. Then, 25 true-or-false questions, which cover the basic topics of the course, were developed along with instructions for completing the assessment. Finally, 31 students registered in the course took the pre - and postcourse assessment and their performances were recorded for data analyses. The results of the analyses provided valuable inside information regarding the student learning and effectiveness of teaching. Furthermore, the results were used to continue improving teaching efforts since the results showed which topics students had difficulty learning and where the instructor should pay closer attentions in the classroom. Based on these facts, a conclusion is derived that the pre- and post-course assessment is an effective method to assess the learning effectiveness and continue improving the instructor's teaching ability. Because of these features of the pre - and post-course assessment, institutions can use it to demonstrate their performance toward the attainment of ABET's criteria.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings
StatePublished - 2007
Externally publishedYes
Event114th Annual ASEE Conference and Exposition, 2007 - Honolulu, HI, United States
Duration: Jun 24 2007Jun 27 2007

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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