Avaliação da aprendizagem : confiamos no feedback dos alunos?

A avaliação da aprendizagem no Ensino Superior é um processo complexo em que o papel do aluno pode ficar subestimado. A introdução de métodos de avaliação, com componentes de heteroavaliação ou autoavaliação, possibilitam um maior envolvimento e responsabilização do aluno no seu processo de autoavaliação. Trata-se de uma avaliação que não se limita à atribuição de classificações, mas que, ao mesmo tempo, fornece feedback em termos de análise crítica e de recomendações. O feedback dado pelos alunos tem vantagens em termos de quantidade e qualidade, embora nem sempre seja comparável com o feedback do docente. Num estudo realizado na Universidade do Minho, no 2º ano do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, os alunos avaliaram-se uns aos outros quanto ao desempenho no trabalho em equipa. Num projeto em equipa de grande dimensão - a UC tem 15 ECTS- os alunos classificaram, em quatro momentos distintos, o desempenho dos colegas usando critérios definidos pelas diferentes equipas de alunos e proporcionaram, obrigatoriamente, feedback. O feedback foi dado através de uma plataforma online, analisado e categorizado, com base na literatura da área de specialidade e também em outras categorias complementares. O feedback fornecido ao longo do semestre evoluiu de categorias mais básicas, como por exemplo a identificação de pontos fortes e pontos fracos, para categorias mais elaboradas, como a indicação de sugestões para a melhoria do desempenho

Peer assessment and group work in civil engineering education

The Civil Engineering Course of the University of Minho in Portugal started with peer assessment in the first year of the academic year 2004/05. The implementation of peer assessment at this course was a consequence of the successful mplementation of peer and self assessment at other engineering courses of the University of Minho. This article will outline the motives for the implementation of peer assessment, the expected and obtained effects and will delineate the group work processes that are put into action at the first year of the Civil Engineering Course. During the semester, three assessment moments take place in two subjects, with a different assessment task at each moment. Students are supposed to assess the work of the peers, supported by well defined criteria that are partly the results of a negotiation process between students and teacher. They subsequently mark the work of their colleagues and provide a clear justification for each given mark. The aim of this method is to involve them in the subject, enhance their motivation and in that way deepen their learning. Advantages and disadvantages of peer assessment from both the teacher’s and the students´ perspective are discussed. The results that have been obtained so far, point at a successful implementation of peer assessment. The implementation process relied on strong institutional and pedagogical support, that were considered crucial to the changes that were realized

Professional Identity Of Female Engineering Graduates: An Exploration Of Identity Status Through Life History Research

The number of students entering engineering programmes is too low to meet the need for engineering graduates. Still, many leave for jobs outside the technical sector right after graduation. Professional identity is a concept that helps to explain why they stay in or leave the technical sector (Cech 2014). It is the result of the process of professional socialisation. This study uses life history research to understand the professional socialisation of engineering graduates from kindergarten age until a few years after graduation. An analysis of the life experiences of male and female engineering graduates shows differences in how they describe moments of choice, reflecting different professional identity statuses of male and female graduates.</p

Peer feedback : quality and quantity in large groups

Providing peer feedback is an activity that does not only support the receiver of the feedback in his or her learning process, it is also useful for those who provide feedback, as they have to critically analyse the work or performance of colleagues [1]. Apart from the specific contents of peer feedback comments, the quantity and the diversity of peer feedback in comparison with the quantity and diversity of teacher feedback is one of the main advantages on the inclusion of peer feedback in the assessment methods of a course. This article describes the second edition of a 15-ECTS project-oriented course for Informatics Engineering Master’s students at the University of Minho, in which peer assessment of team performance is part of the assessment method. In the first year in which the peer assessment method was implemented, students worked in large teams and assessed their peers at four moments on the behaviour in the team, using a single comment to justify all grades given on the assessment criteria. In the second edition, students used a comment for each one of the assessment criteria, multiplying as such the quantity and diversity of the comments. This article seeks to explore the change of quality of peer feedback for the second edition in order to improve the current model of peer feedback used in this and other engineering courses and make peer feedback as helpful as possible for both the giving as well as the receiving students.(undefined

Um estudo das possibilidades para melhorar os resultados de Análise Matemática I para Engenharia de Polímeros

Todos os cursos de Engenharia têm muitas disciplinas de Matemática e Física no primeiro ano. Estas disciplinas são a base para os cursos de engenharia. Em geral, as taxas de aprovação são baixas. A Escola de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho queria melhorar estes resultados e por isso, começamos um projecto piloto num destes cursos, Engenharia de Polímeros. Várias medidas foram implementadas para aumentar o número dos alunos activos na disciplina e promover e manter a ligação entre o aluno e a disciplina, como avaliação contínua, turmas mais pequenas e horários diferentes. A taxa de aprovação aumentou de 14% em 1997/98 a 44% em 1998/99

Presentation skills for engineers: systematic interventions in a project-based learning course

This article seeks to reflect on effective presentation skills for engineering students and the effect of specific interventions on the quality of presentation skills. Most authors, who discuss transferable competencies for engineers, refer to different types of communication skills in general to oral and written communication skills. Although there is a broad recognition on the necessity of developing transferable skills in engineering education, there is no general agreement on what these they should be. Therefore, presentation skills are studied in the context of a project-based learning experience at the Industrial Management and Engineering (IME) programme of the University of Minho. Six groups of seven first year students of the first semester of the IME integrated Master´s degree programme carried out a semester-long project from September 2010 till January 2011. Three project oral presentations were conducted, preceded by three interventions focused on specific aspects of oral presentations. The teachers and the educational researchers involved in the project coordination team commented on the presentations and a qualitative analysis of the comments was carried out. The organisation of the interventions revealed to be well adapted to the developments that student went through in the project.(undefined

Influence of assessment frequency on final exam results

In the first year of every engineering course, mathematics and physics subjects are a substantial part of the curriculum. Looking at the engineering courses given at the University of Minho, around 53% of the credit units a student has to do in the first year consists of mathematics and physics subjects. Every first year engineering student starts with Physics I and II and at the same time Calculus I and II (Análise Matemática in Portuguese) and Linear Algebra. These subjects are the core curriculum for the first year of the engineering courses. They provide a foundation for the knowledge and skills that the student acquires during the rest of the course. Bad results on these subjects can cause many problems for the students later on in their course. When a student faces difficulties with mathematics and physics subjects, problems with other subjects are inevitable. Bad results on some of the first year mathematics subjects caused alarm at the courses of the Engineering Council of the University of Minho in Guimarães. Análise Matemática I is the first mathematics subject for every engineering student. The success rate of Análise Matemática I in 1997/98 varied from 13 to 25% in the different engineering courses, looking at the number of students that is registered for the subject. This is far below the desired success rate, which should be at least around 60%. The bad results cause problems like overcrowded classroom, overcrowded exam rooms, not enough teachers and serious delays in the progress of students

Preliminary study of the integration of first year students at engineering courses

The Council of Engineering Courses of the University of Minho, started with systematic course evaluation in the mid-nineties. Comprehensive course evaluations were made concerning students, staff, facilities, the curriculum and integration in the labour market. Parts of the evaluation are repeated every year, like the questionnaire about the integration of students at the university. With the results of this study, the university aims at anticipating on possible problems of students and to support students where necessary. Although the University cannot change the selection of students, it is possible to be well prepared for the students that arrive and support them where possible

Qualidade do processo de aprendizagem dos alunos em engenharia

Num estudo no Conselho dos Cursos de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho em Portugal pretende-se melhorar a qualidade do processo de aprendizagem do aluno do primeiro ano dos cursos de engenharia. Isso significa em primeiro lugar encontrar uma forma fiável de "medir a qualidade do processo de aprendizagem". Isso é importante, porque os docentes podem apoiar os alunos na maneira mais adequada e além disso podemos tentar influenciar o estilo de aprendizagem se for necessário. Especialmente os alunos quem têm um estilo de aprendizagem mais superficial vão ter problemas ao longo do curso. Reconhecer estes problemas logo no primeiro ano, usar informação sobre os estilos de aprendizagem do aluno e melhorar a qualidade do processo de aprendizagem é o objectivo principal do estudo. Este artigo dá uma impressão das dificuldades que se pode encontrar enquanto „medir‟o estilo de aprendizagem

Investigação em educação em engenharia: um campo emergente

Num mundo cada vez mais globalizado e em que o rápido desenvolvimento científico e tecnológico ocupa um papel central no desenvolvimento das sociedades, torna-se cada vez mais relevante discutir o perfil desejável dos profissionais de engenharia capazes de dar resposta a estes desafios, e consequentemente, discutir as processos de formação desses futuros engenheiros. No contexto internacional, estas necessidades têm vindo a fazer emergir a Investigação em Ensino de Engenharia (IEE) como um campo de investigação autónomo. Norteando-se pelos critérios de identidade para um campo de investigação de Fensham (2004), usado também por Borrego (2007), como princípios orientadores de análise, este artigo pretende discutir a identidade do campo de IEE, caraterizar o seu estado atual no contexto internacional e no contexto Português e posicioná-lo relativamente às Ciências de Educação. Os autores visam igualmente identificar os desafios emergentes no crescimento e amadurecimento deste campo de investigação específico, de forma a que possa granjear reconhecimento quer nas Ciências da Educação, quer nas Engenharias, no contexto Português.In an increasingly globalising world in which fast scientific and technological developments have a central role in society, it becomes more and more relevant to discuss the professional profile of engineers able to respond to these challenges and, consequently, discuss the education of these future engineers. In an international context, this led to the emergence of Research in Engineering Education (REE) as an autonomous field of research. Oriented by the criteria of identity of a research field of Fensham (2004), this article seeks to discuss the identity of REE, characterising its current state in the international and in the Portuguese context and position the field in relation to Educational Research. The authors also aim to identify emergent challenges in the development and maturation of this specific research field, in order to promote recognition both in Educational Research as well as in Engineering in the Portuguese context