The new educational model Assesment of project groups Lars Peter Jensen

The New Aalborg Model Course 5 ECTS Course 5 ECTS Course 5 ECTS 50% courses One semester Project 15 ECTS In groups up to 8 persons Individual assessment Self-selected groups Appointed supervisor(s) 50% project 2 1 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) = 30 working hours

How to organize projects More focus on Peer-learning Facilitation of group Communication/information/lecture for all groups on the semster (e.g. Introduction) Status seminar Workshops Visits to compagnies

How to organize courses Lectures Study cirkle Student Symposia (lectures by students) Exercises Workshops Excursions Mini Projects Longer individuel exercises (e.g. one week) Cases Question time sessions

Assessment of courses Written examination (traditional) Multiple-choise test Written exam. using computer Written answers to assignments (exercises, mini project, articel, essay etc.) Written reflexsive portfolio Oral examination Oral exam. based on written answers by stu. Continued assessment (presence, written assignments etc.)

”Economy”/payment Facilitation of project: Courses (5 ECTS): 1 hour pr. student pr. ECTS. Max. 100 hour, typicalle 75-90 (5-6 stu.). ALL included !!! Censorship 2 hours pr. stu. Min. 8 hours Courses (5 ECTS): 150 hours + 1.5 hour pr. students Total: 180 h. (20 st), 240 h. (60 st), 300 h. (100 st) Exam 0.33 h. pr. st. Both for teacher and censor

Asssessment of projects Lars Peter Jensen

Alignment

Assessment - the hidden curriculum The aim of the study goals objectives Teaching and learning methods: PBL and project work Forms of the exams and criteria The last item of this course is assessment which is a kind of hidden curriculum in the Aalborg model. What is interesting is how the aims of the study, its goals and objectives is assessed continually during the project work and finally at the project exam, and how these things affect each other.

Basic assumptions Examination is dominating the students learning approach Criteria for evaluation are crucial for the learning process Evaluation is a basic part for the learning process (reflection) (Personal skills, metalearning etc. need formative evaluation forms) Usually it is assumed that ....... This is probably true, so we have to be careful about our assessment to match the goals we want the students to achieve by making their project. This means that if we want the student to get a deep understanding of the theories and methods they uses, then we have to ask questions that challenge this understanding, in stead of just checking wheater the student can use a specific method. This is in fact what i told you to do at the weekly meetings, so the students gets used to this kind of assessment and direct their own learning approach in the direction of a deeper understanding of the theory and methods. This is then of course also the kind of questions to be asked at the final examination after each project period.

Team based examination Supervisors examinors Black board (Audience) Team to be assessed OH screen

Team based examination Presentation of project (students) Comments to presentation (examiners) 1 hour break Detailed questions to Team/individual team members break 3 – 4 hours Votation (examiners) Giving marks and final comments

Individual examination Presentation of project (students) (Comments to presentation (examiners)) 1 hour break Detailed questions to Individuals – one by one 30 – 40 minutes Votation (examiners) Giving the individual grade

Assessment - practice Peer group Project group Supervisor and (external) censor 1. ALL THE MEMBERS IN THE GROUP PRESENT PARTS OF THE PROJECT. MAX 10 MINUTES EACH and TEACHER AND EXTERNAL EXAMINATORER GIVE COMMENT TO THE PRESENTATION 2. GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE REPORT (methods, structure, consistency, new ideas, etc.) AND THE STUDENTS PROCESS COMPETENCES (project-management, communication, co-operation, creativity, teamworkskills etc.) 3. INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS INDIVIDUAL MARKS BASED ON: REPORT, including: PRESENTATION and GENERAL DISCUSSION INDIVIDUAL QUESTION 0 – 20 min./ student So how is an examination carried out? The Peer group is seldom used after the basic year, but there is plays an important role as it takes part in the assessment by asking questions to the other group, enhancing the peer assessment. An often used model is : 1...... After the presentation, there is a short discussion about how it was done in order to help the students improve their presentation technique, and then there is a break where the examination team decides what mark they will give the project at the moment. This is a mark based on the written report and the ”defence” of it that the students just have made. It might be regarded as an average of what this group is able to accomplishes by half a years project work at this specific semester. Then there is 2.... And 3.... Where you should remember to ask questions that challenge the students understanding. You are allowed to use as much as three quarters of an hour questioning each student, but it is more normal to use about ½ hour as an average, and it is not as if you ask one student each for ½ hour. It is more like you ask several questions and the student answering switches for each question. There is often 5-6 students in a group, so you might need more than one break before you think that you have heard enough to mark the students individually. While the student wait outside the marks is given, based on : .... 1 and 2 you have already given an average mark. Now you look at each student as an individual and judge their presentation, their part in the discussion and how well they have answered the individual questions. Based on 2, 3 and 4 you mark each student individually. This is normally not very difficult as to mark the students relatively to each other. E.g.. There is often a middle group in the group, e.g.. 3 persons and perhaps one person slightly better and 2 persons slightly worse. What sometimes is a bit difficult is to Make the specific mark. In the mentioned case you might have doubt about whether the middle group should be marked 8 or 9, which again means that the bottom of the group should have 7 or 8 and the best student 9 or 10. Then you can use the mark for the project report and the presentation to adjust you level. It would be nice if the average of the individual marks is almost the same as the report mark, given for half a years work. So if you think the project was to 9, then you should give 2 times 8, 3 times 9 and one 10. This might seem difficult, but it is not and you will be given an experienced censor to help the first time, or you might become censor for an experienced supervisor. app. 25 min./student

Study of Assessment for projects Methods Empirically drawing on surveys 2006 and 2007: students of which 14% were international students and 15% was assessed individually Academic staff external examiners

Skills

Skills

Skills

Skills