Abstract:

The establishment of the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) in 2021 marked a highly transformative and innovative moment in Irish higher education, introducing a mission to “put learning first” as articulated in its Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy (2022–2025). At the commencement of this initiative, a determination was made to conduct a comprehensive statistical analysis of student performance in the Final Year Project (FYP) at TUS. Additionally, the role and contribution of FYP Supervisors as a community of practice were explored. The diversity of FYP pedagogies across faculties presents challenges in ensuring consistency, quality, and alignment with program learning outcomes. The objective of this investigation was to firstly evaluate student achievement in the FYP relative to their performance across other modules within their programmes of study in conjunction with the role of the FYP Supervisors. While the FYP Supervisors role is presented here, a secondary objective of the analysis was to assess the extent to which the FYP may constitute a barrier to the successful completion of undergraduate programmes. In addition, the study presented an opportunity to establish a comparative framework through which student performance and FYP Supervisor input could be examined across the full spectrum of academic disciplines offered by the University, as well as to explore potential variations in outcomes across different regional cohorts. With over 125 Level 8 programs across seven faculties and five campuses, TUS has embedded Final Year Project (FYP) modules as capstone experiences in more than 120 of these programs. These modules serve as critical vehicles for integrating disciplinary knowledge, fostering independent inquiry, and developing graduate attributes essential for 21st-century employability. Additionally, there is evidence of a very strong correlation between overall student award achievement and their performance in the FYP.

This study addresses these challenges through an evidence-based pan-university initiative that leverages module FYP assessment strategies and collaborative pedagogical innovation. By creating a Community of Practice (CoP) dedicated to FYP supervision and assessment, this project seeks to standardize expectations, share best practices, and enhance student engagement through digital supports and active learning methodologies. The central research question guiding this investigation asks how pedagogical innovations in FYP assessment enhance student engagement, academic integrity, and achievement of graduate attributes across a multi-campus technological university. The work includes a comprehensive review of FYP modules across TUS to map variations in structure, credit allocation, supervision models, and assessment practices. This project adopts a mixed-methods approach grounded in participatory action research and informed by national policy frameworks such as the QQI Green Paper on Assessment and the National Forum’s principles of student partnership.

Keywords:

Final Year Project (FYP), Capstone Assessment, Pedagogical Innovation, Technology-Enhanced Learning, Community of Practice (CoP), Active Learning, Graduate Attributes, Higher Education Assessment.