Detailed assessment of engineering curricula

Abstract: A scheme for gathering detailed assignment level data on curricula for assessment purposes is presented. An assessment tool that focuses on the individual assignment level can provide detailed information, which may not be apparent at the course or program level. An assignment database containing a record for each student assignment is proposed here to provide a means to access detailed assessment data that is readily available from the faculty teaching the courses in the major. The assessment scheme described here incorporates data that is based on actual student activities in the program. Assignment attributes that are based upon the desired outcomes of the program are provided for each assignment by the faculty responsible for each course. Therefore an inherent connection to the curricula, faculty input and a means for direct feedback to the curricula are built into this assessment scheme. The grade statistics available on the individual assignments can be a component of the performance measures utilized to assess the achievement of the program's desired student outcomes. This database, once built, can be efficiently maintained using standard personal computer spreadsheet and database office software