Outcomes based assessment in instrumentation and measurement

![CDATA[The Instrumentation and Measurement unit at the University of Western Sydney is undertaken by third year engineering students. The 10 credit point unit integrates knowledge gained to date with an emphasis on practical completions. While delivery is via lectures, tutorials and practicals, it is in the practicals that a difference is found. Students are required to complete seven practical tasks over 13 teaching weeks to the point of demonstrating correct operation to the lab supervisor. Students generally work in pairs and each lab session has two supervisors. The tasks are completed sequentially; what is not completed one week is continued in the following week. Marks are gained at the successful demonstration of each assessable task. In this manner, students with superior practical skills are not held back but may surge ahead towards the overall completion of the tasks, with the prospect of finishing early in the session or pursuing bonus tasks for extra marks. Students less skilled continue at their own pace, but sufficient lab time is available for all well prepared and persistent students to complete the full range of mandatory tasks. To encourage and reward consistent effort and achievement in the practicals, 40% of the overall unit assessment is based on the practicals. This practical component is calculated as a weighted sum of the fraction of the tasks completed, the student’s demonstrated ability and knowledge in the practical environment, and the submitted practical report write-up. The tasks set are challenging but at a level deemed appropriate to this stage of the development of an engineer. The students take great delight in being able to complete a demonstration and in communicating correctly answers to the questions put to them in an informal quiz manner during the practical process. The individual tasks build up to the final mini-project task, where the students have to think laterally and design, build and test a small weight measurement, transmission and display system using the knowledge and techniques learned in the earlier tasks. The student’s enthusiasm is such that, even on the most inclement of mornings, all are present in their respective practical session.]]