How Multimodal Examinations Can Increase Sustainable Student Gain by Aligning Teaching and Assessment
Modern industry and multi-discipline projects require highly trained individuals with resilient science and engineering back-grounds. Graduates must be able to agilely apply excellent theoretical knowledge in their subject matter as well as essential practical “hands-on” knowledge of diverse working...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2021-2019 |
| _version_ | 1811194204140863488 |
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| author | Gundlach Michael Baumann Martin Engelmann Ulrich M. |
| author_facet | Gundlach Michael Baumann Martin Engelmann Ulrich M. |
| author_sort | Gundlach Michael |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Modern industry and multi-discipline projects require highly trained individuals with resilient science and engineering back-grounds. Graduates must be able to agilely apply excellent theoretical knowledge in their subject matter as well as essential practical “hands-on” knowledge of diverse working processes to solve complex problems. To meet these demands, university education follows the concept of Constructive Alignment and thus increasingly adopts the teaching of necessary practical skills to the actual industry requirements and assessment routines. However, a systematic approach to coherently align these three central teaching demands is strangely absent from current university curricula. We demonstrate the feasibility of implementing practical assessments in a regular theory-based examination, thus defining the term “blended assessment”. We assessed a course for natural science and engineering students pursuing a career in biomedical engineering, and evaluated the benefit of blended assessment exams for students and lecturers. Our controlled study assessed the physiological background of electrocardiograms (ECGs), the practical measurement of ECG curves, and their interpretation of basic pathologic alterations. To study on long time effects, students have been assessed on the topic twice with a time lag of 6 months. Our findings suggest a significant improvement in student gain with respect to practical skills and theoretical knowledge. The results of the reassessments support these outcomes. From the lecturers´ point of view, blended assessment complements practical training courses while keeping organizational effort manageable. We consider blended assessment a viable tool for providing an improved student gain, industry-ready education format that should be evaluated and established further to prepare university graduates optimally for their future careers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:22:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2d67dfad5d2343949e6f327bdc8a1e3b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2364-5504 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:22:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-2d67dfad5d2343949e6f327bdc8a1e3b2022-12-22T03:55:41ZengDe GruyterCurrent Directions in Biomedical Engineering2364-55042021-10-0172737610.1515/cdbme-2021-2019How Multimodal Examinations Can Increase Sustainable Student Gain by Aligning Teaching and AssessmentGundlach Michael0Baumann Martin1Engelmann Ulrich M.2Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University,Aachen, GermanyInstitute for Applied Medical Engineering, Helmholtz-Institute, RWTH Aachen University Hospital and RWTH Aachen University,Aachen, GermanyDepartment of Medical Engineering and Applied Mathematics, FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences,Jülich, GermanyModern industry and multi-discipline projects require highly trained individuals with resilient science and engineering back-grounds. Graduates must be able to agilely apply excellent theoretical knowledge in their subject matter as well as essential practical “hands-on” knowledge of diverse working processes to solve complex problems. To meet these demands, university education follows the concept of Constructive Alignment and thus increasingly adopts the teaching of necessary practical skills to the actual industry requirements and assessment routines. However, a systematic approach to coherently align these three central teaching demands is strangely absent from current university curricula. We demonstrate the feasibility of implementing practical assessments in a regular theory-based examination, thus defining the term “blended assessment”. We assessed a course for natural science and engineering students pursuing a career in biomedical engineering, and evaluated the benefit of blended assessment exams for students and lecturers. Our controlled study assessed the physiological background of electrocardiograms (ECGs), the practical measurement of ECG curves, and their interpretation of basic pathologic alterations. To study on long time effects, students have been assessed on the topic twice with a time lag of 6 months. Our findings suggest a significant improvement in student gain with respect to practical skills and theoretical knowledge. The results of the reassessments support these outcomes. From the lecturers´ point of view, blended assessment complements practical training courses while keeping organizational effort manageable. We consider blended assessment a viable tool for providing an improved student gain, industry-ready education format that should be evaluated and established further to prepare university graduates optimally for their future careers.https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2021-2019constructive alignmentexaminationlong-term retentionmultimodalpractical learning |
| spellingShingle | Gundlach Michael Baumann Martin Engelmann Ulrich M. How Multimodal Examinations Can Increase Sustainable Student Gain by Aligning Teaching and Assessment Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering constructive alignment examination long-term retention multimodal practical learning |
| title | How Multimodal Examinations Can Increase Sustainable Student Gain by Aligning Teaching and Assessment |
| title_full | How Multimodal Examinations Can Increase Sustainable Student Gain by Aligning Teaching and Assessment |
| title_fullStr | How Multimodal Examinations Can Increase Sustainable Student Gain by Aligning Teaching and Assessment |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Multimodal Examinations Can Increase Sustainable Student Gain by Aligning Teaching and Assessment |
| title_short | How Multimodal Examinations Can Increase Sustainable Student Gain by Aligning Teaching and Assessment |
| title_sort | how multimodal examinations can increase sustainable student gain by aligning teaching and assessment |
| topic | constructive alignment examination long-term retention multimodal practical learning |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2021-2019 |
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