CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT WITH SELF-CHECKING TASKS

Abstract

This paper discusses the applicability and benefits of self-checking tasks in continuous assessment in an electrical engineering course. The method was implemented in the first-year online graduate course of Advanced Power Electronics. The method uses a two-week cycle, where during the first week a task is accomplished on the topic of that week. The tasks include working with data from component datasheets, reading and employing application notes, calculations, and simulations. During the second week, the students self-check their tasks using a rubric provided for them and then turn in a corrected version of the task. To keep the cycle going, during the second week, a new topic is also introduced, and a new task is given. The method was assessed based on a student questionnaire and teacher experiences. The method was new to all students. One of the main findings from the questionnaire was that correcting the original task submission supported student learning more than any other form of teaching on the course. However, there were different interpretations of how this support actually worked. The study also showed that there was significant variation between different types of tasks in how the students assessed the relevance of tasks and their difficulty level. Furthermore, students found that some tasks or their outcomes were more suitable for self-checking than others. This was confirmed by the teacher's insights on the course.