Labwork Assessment System

There is currently a significant difficulty in giving students sufficient and timely feedback on their laboratory work in Electronic & Electrical Engineering. The origins of the problem lie in the time it takes to get a group of students through a laboratory that has limited facilities. In large groups of 80 to 100 students it can take several months for the whole group to complete an experiment. In such cases the students who undertake the experiment earlier in the year wait a very long time for feedback and marks. Assessment methods have been developed that alleviate the problem somewhat by giving immediate verbal feedback on the experimental technique and the conduct of the experiment at the end of each lab session. Students still have to wait until the end of the year for their final assessment and marks.

The “in lab” assessment typically carries between 30% and 40% of the mark for the experiment and marks are awarded for correctly connecting circuits, collecting data, carrying out the correct analysis and the presenting of the data and results. Although the paper based system works well it is perforce relatively simple. An electronic system would allow more complex assessment criteria to be adopted whilst minimising lecturer time required for the assessment process and reduce the possibility of error incumbent in a paper based process. In addition, it would provide students with written feedback, possibly via e-mail.

There is also the possibility for a swipe card, to provide the initial input of student details during the lab.

Progress: 90%

The database system and data processing functionality have been produced.

Work is underway on the staff interface that will be used to record assessment marks and student feedback during a lab. A lab assessment sheet proforma is being developed.