Improving Electrical Engineering Students’ Performance and Grading in Laboratorial Works Through Preparatory On-Line Quizzes

Abstract

We have been implementing and evaluating a set of new teaching/assessment methodologies, in the context of a circuit analysis course of the Electrical and Computer Engineering degree at ISEP. One of them, reported in this chapter, is the implementation of on-line (Moodle) quizzes for students to prepare their lab classes in anticipation. We show that this methodology contributes to a more organized and consolidated preparatory work carried out by each student, as well as to an automatic (individual) grading along the semester. The qualitative feedback from the teachers’ team (ourselves included) has been quite positive: students approach lab classes with more knowledge and confidence and finalize their lab scripts sooner and with better results, when comparing to the previous paradigm. This perception has been consolidated by a questionnaire-based study building on over 300 students/replies, confirming the students’ preference for the new methodology. Importantly, lab GPA and success rate increased from 60 to 70% and 80 to 90%, respectively, when comparing to the old paradigm.