Weekly Self-rating of Proficiency with Course Learning Objectives: Gaining Insight into Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of their Learning

Abstract

Quizzes, mid-term examinations, and homework are common ways educators assess students' understanding and abilities with course content. While these formative assessments provide more insight when they are tightly aligned to the course learning objectives, they still do not reveal students' perceptions of their learning progress and challenges throughout the semester. Though some common problems may be revealed through in-class dialogue, even in smaller courses, it can be difficult to precisely assess the problems students perceive they are having. By using students' self-rating of their proficiency with course learning objectives (as a component of selfreflection), instructors can gain deeper insight into students' perceptions of their learning and make timely instructional adjustments. This study aims to examine twenty-eight undergraduate agricultural and biological engineering students' self-ratings of their proficiency level with learning objectives following weekly assignments in a process engineering course. These responses, in conjunction with results from the learning-objective based grading of students' work by the teaching assistant were analyzed to determine patterns in students' learning needs as the semester progressed. Examples of inferences about students' struggles that the instructor drew from the results of students' self-ratings and actions that the instructor made or plans to take are discussed.