SPIDER activities: select, prepare and investigate, discuss, evaluate, reflect

Abstract

There is increasing emphasis in Engineering Education to include transferable skills, such as written and presentation skills, but also critical evaluations and lifelong learning. Another challenge is the rapidly changing technical content in many engineering courses and the related struggle to provide up-to-date study materials. This paper introduces a comprehensive assessment strategy that helps students to develop soft skills as well as technical competency. It incorporates self directed inquiry, presentations and peer assessments. It has been trialled in various courses and it is being implemented as a learning management system module. Evidence shows improved student engagement and better learning outcomes. This includes both, transferable as well as technical skills. The key focus of this study is to map learning outcomes to assignment tasks; generalise the relationships and define electronic, measurable activities that drive these tasks. The approach is informed by trial results and is based on evaluation of staff and their views of current assignments and intended learning outcomes as well as student survey.