SELF ASSESSMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE McMASTER PROBLEM SOLVING PROGRAMME

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Abstract
Self assessment is applied to develop students' confidence in their problem solving ability in the context of a four‐course sequence in Chemical Engineering, called the McMaster Problem Solving (MPS) programme. The issues in using self assessment are explored and then illustrated in the context of the MPS programme. The criteria for assessment are public, explicit and related to the learning objectives for each of 35 separate skills, topics or Units that comprise the programme. The criteria are primarily generated by faculty, but the students can generate their own to obtain higher levels of accomplishment. Students use journal writing as the main method of providing evidence, satisfying the criteria and demonstrating achievement. The students rationalise their self assessment in an interview with the instructor. The self assessment counts for between 10 and 27% of their grade. The students receive 6 hours of training on self assessment early in the course. Self assessment is applied to all of the subsequent activities in the MPS programme. Comparisons are given between students' summative assessments and their performance on a written final examination and their overall mark in the course. The average deviation is usually less than 10%. The approaches taken in this MPS programme are compared with those of others. Suggestions for development and improvement are noted.

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