Abstract:

Assessment is usually focused in grading learning outcomes and, therefore produces certain rejection from students. Nevertheless, assessment can be viewed as an opportunity to monitor and improve the teaching-learning process. Additionally, if assessment is designed for formative purposes, it could result in higher motivation of students, identification on time of difficulties in the learning process and improvement in competences acquisition.

Conventional procedures of formative assessment usually require high time investment for teachers, as ideally the evaluation should be continuous, personalized as much as possible and adapted to each particular subject. Reducing the time invested by the teacher in this type of evaluation is a great challenge, especially for large teaching groups.

From this point of view, the present work presents the design and application of rubric-based evaluation procedures taking into account the following aspects: (i) evaluation is a learning tool; (ii) focused on skills acquisition; (iii) with clear criteria known in advance by students; (iv) with feedback as immediate as possible about deviations and errors and with suggestions for improvement; (v) including tools for self-assessment; (vi) and providing continuous information for the teacher on the students' progress to correct on time inefficiencies and difficulties.

The present work presents a rubric-based methodology to this end, based in a dedicated algorithm that uses the data of self-assessment questionnaires for automatic assessment of different specific competences. The methodology has been applied to the subject of Engineering Thermodynamics of the Degree in Industrial Technologies Engineering at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). Preliminary results are here presented.

Keywords:

Rubrics, Engineering Learning, Higher Education, Teaching Innovation, Educational Assessment, Virtual Learning Environments.