Individual student assessment in team projects: a team charter approach

CONTEXT - Innovation in learning and teaching practices for increasing student satisfaction, retention and reducing student attrition are the main keys for the School of Engineering and Technology at CQU. Our School fosters innovative learning and teaching practices in both active learning (student centred - project based learning and hands-on) and passive learning (lecture centred – traditional methods). Both engineering technical skills and professional skills are important and prerequisites for our engineering graduates to be successful in a challenging work place. Motivation in student learning differs in passive and active learning. Industry linked projects with detailed scopes in project based learning mode is more interesting and motivating to students. It is very essential to develop a framework that generates interest and stimulates curiosity of students to learn in higher level engineering units such as Fluid Machinery. The student cohort consists of school leavers, mature age students and students from diverse cultural backgrounds in both distance and multi-campus modes. PURPOSE - The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a team charter framework in my fluid machinery unit with higher level mechanical engineering cohorts over other student assessment approaches. It focuses on how student satisfaction and motivation link to student learning because of a good individual student assessment strategy in team based project works. APPROACH - Influential learning and teaching (L&T) practices are the core of the framework for engagement of engineering students in the learning process. The learning process starts with a good industry project with detailed scope documentation and a proper methodology to assess individual student’s learning in team based projects. Along with detailed scope documents relating to industry projects, assessment criteria for team submission and a team charter (TC) document are considered for each individual student’s assessment in a team work environment. The team charter approach is compared to a portfolio based assessment style. The impact of this approach and framework is evaluated using CQU’s online evaluations through its Student Experience Survey (SES). With careful consideration and evaluation of these data, the effectiveness and usefulness of the team charter framework and outstanding L&T practices are evaluated and noted. For further refinement, a few recommendations are proposed through an Annual Unit Enhancement Report (AUER) to the program committee of the school with a view to implement improvements in the next offerings. RESULTS - The satisfaction data of my fluid machinery unit obtained by SES from 2012 to 2016 were low and produced much student feedback relating to assessment of student portfolios. With the introduction of the detailed scope document for industry projects, proper assessment criteria for team submission and TC of my unit fluid machinery showed that the student satisfaction improved significantly over the corporate target in 2017. So the articulation of a student motivating framework using TC yields interest and stimulates the curiosity of students to learn and provides them greater satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS - The effectiveness of the team charter approach on individual student’s assessment on team based projects is evaluated and compared with the portfolio based assessment type. The team charter approach is evaluated positively though student satisfaction ratings and their learning experience.