Student outcomes: Improved by external assessments?
Lynch, Adam Carlton Maru, Vatsal K.
Lynch, Adam Carlton
Maru, Vatsal K.
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Location
Time Period
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Original Date
Digitization Date
Issue Date
2023-02-10
Type
Conference paper
Genre
Keywords
Engineering,Engineering education,Certification
Subjects (LCSH)
Citation
Maru, V., & Lynch, A. (2023, February), Student Outcomes: Improved by External Assessments? Paper presented at 2023 CIEC, Charleston, South Carolina. 10.18260/1-2-1114-48776
Abstract
Background
We evaluated the effect of using a globally recognized professional certification exam as an external assessment of the effectiveness of an engineering course in addition to student perception surveys of teaching effectiveness.
Purpose/Hypothesis
To identify the impact of knowledge of subject matter independent of the institution and instructor by use of an external professional certification exam at the end of each semester.
Design/Method
The sample of the study consisted of 479 students enrolled in a lean manufacturing course at a large public research university in the central United States from Fall 2016 to Spring 2020.
Students were actively encouraged by extra credit points to take the Lean Knowledge Certificate offered by the professional society SME during the final week of each semester.
Results
Findings suggest that students increasingly see the value in seeking professional certifications since there is an upward trend in the number attempting the certification. Additionally, more students are passing, gaining professional certification in the process. They are learning the material irrespective of their feelings about the instructor.
Conclusions
While establishing academic learning objectives is clearly a requirement, institutions should consider whether the course objectives and associated materials can be aligned with the body of knowledge of industry professional societies certifications to ensure that the knowledge gained in a course can be readily applied to a career in industry.
Table of Contents
Description
2023 CIEC, Charleston, South Carolina, Feb. 8-10, 2023
The article can be found here: https://peer.asee.org/48776
The article can be found here: https://peer.asee.org/48776
Publisher
American Society for Engineering Education
Journal
Proceedings of the 2023 Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration