Evaluation of Student Learning for an Engineering Graphics Course
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 131, Issue 3
Abstract
The ability of students to master various skills defined by a set of course learning objectives of an engineering graphics course at San Jose State University was assessed. One semester offering of the introductory course was reviewed. The course objectives were evaluated by the amount of coverage each received on the exams and the level of cognitive skill required according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. Student learning was assessed by review of their ability to produce documented evidence of mastering the skill. In addition two methods of assigning grades based upon student performance were compared. The primary finding of the study was that the ability of students to master particular skills varied widely on both objectives and taxonomy levels. Secondary findings were that the exams did not address each objective equally, and that some important objectives did not receive the coverage they likely deserved. Recommendations about improved wording of some objectives were made to more clearly state the instructor’s intent. The grade assigned to a student would have been different depending upon the method the instructor uses for evaluating their score for an exam. If scoring is weighted based upon the taxonomy level, then some students would receive higher grades while others would have been lower. The distribution of points received for exam questions covering objectives of different taxonomy levels showed that C-students generally performed poorer than A-students, but that at some levels performed better.
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References
Anderson, L. W., and Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives, Longman, New York.
Anderson, L. W., and Sosniak, L. A. (1994). Bloom’s taxonomy: A forty-year retrospective. 93rd Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part II, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Blood, D. F., and Budd, W. C. (1972). Educational measurement and evaluation, Harper and Row, New York.
Bloom, B. S., Englehart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., and Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals, handbook 1, cognitive domain. Longmans, Green, New York.
Bloom, B. S., Madaus, G. F., and Hastings, J. T. (1981). Evaluation to Improve Learning. McGraw-Hill, New York.
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© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Nov 20, 2003
Accepted: Sep 15, 2004
Published online: Jul 1, 2005
Published in print: Jul 2005
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