Embedded Formative Assessment in the Undergraduate Engineering Classroom

TL;DR

This paper reviews the role of formative assessment in undergraduate engineering education, highlighting technological advancements that facilitate its implementation and discussing challenges and potential solutions for broader adoption.

Contribution

It provides an overview of formative assessment practices in engineering education and analyzes barriers and solutions for wider implementation.

Findings

Technology reduces clerical burden, increasing assessment adoption.

Challenges limit full potential of formative assessment.

Solutions can enhance formative assessment effectiveness.

Abstract

This paper first provides an overview of the pedagogical role of formative assessment in the undergraduate engineering classroom. In the last decade, technology-facilitated implementation of the collection and analysis of student responses has reduced the clerical burden on educators, making the practice more widespread. We discuss some of the reasons why this practice may not have yet reached its full potential in undergraduate engineering classrooms, as well as some available solutions.