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Does Performance-Based Assessment in an Introductory Circuits Laboratory Improve Student Learning?

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Conference

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Columbus, Ohio

Publication Date

June 24, 2017

Start Date

June 24, 2017

End Date

June 28, 2017

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Division Technical Session 12

Tagged Division

Electrical and Computer

Page Count

16

DOI

10.18260/1-2--28190

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/28190

Download Count

472

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Paper Authors

biography

Benjamin D McPheron Roger Williams University

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Benjamin D. McPheron is an Assistant Professor of Engineering at Roger Williams University. Dr. McPheron received his B.S.E.E. in Electrical Engineering at Ohio Northern University in 2010, and his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Department of Electrical Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University in 2014. Dr. McPheron teaches Freshman Engineering and various courses in Electrical Engineering including Circuit Theory, Signals and Systems, Electromagnetic Theory, Digital Signal Processing, and Dynamic Modeling and Control. His research interests include Engineering Education, Control Systems, Robotics, and Signal Processing.

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biography

Mallory Zerena McPheron DPT OPT Physical Therapy

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Mallory Z. McPheron PT, DPT is an outpatient Physical Therapist at OPT Physical Therapy in Bristol, RI. Mallory earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Saint Francis University (PA) in 2015, and a BS in Exercise Physiology from Ohio Northern University in 2012. Mallory's previous research includes a study of the prevalence of depression and stress in first year graduate level physical therapy students.

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Charles R. Thomas Roger Williams University

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Abstract

Undergraduate engineering students regularly participate in laboratory experiences in introductory circuit theory courses. Based on instructor experience, it can be observed that students often struggle to remember how to use test and measurement equipment or important software from week to week, making long term retention of necessary skills inadequate. The facilitators of this study searched for strategies to improve student retention of important skills, and drew inspiration from performance-based assessment strategies used in the healthcare profession. In particular, physical therapy students are often subject to skills checks, where they must demonstrate competency in standard techniques for physical therapy practice. This approach was adapted to an introductory circuit theory lab, in which students were given regular skills checks to test competency with hardware and software standard in circuit theory courses. Data were collected for three years by asking students to complete anonymous Likert scale surveys designed to allow students to self-assess their achievement of the laboratory learning outcomes. The first year was a control group in which performance-based assessment was not used, while year two and three were separate experimental groups which were subject to skills checks. As a result of the addition of skills checks to the laboratory experience, student self-assessment of achievement of laboratory learning outcomes increased dramatically. This result is promising for the inclusion of skills checks in engineering laboratories to improve student competency using hardware and software common to engineering practice.

McPheron, B. D., & McPheron, M. Z., & Thomas, C. R. (2017, June), Does Performance-Based Assessment in an Introductory Circuits Laboratory Improve Student Learning? Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--28190

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