Development of diverse assessment methods for pbl implementation at a course level in engineering education in qatar

While the current literature collectively agrees that Problem and/or Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a useful instructional methodology, the majority of the literature has been based on the assumption that all PBL stems from the same practices across engineering disciplines. In civil and structural engineering, although the current literature agrees that PBL is an effective approach, there is a lack of a clear understanding of how PBL is implemented and learning outcomes are assessed in response to different course demands. This paper reports the practices of designing diverse appropriate assessment methods to meet the different learning objectives in four PBL undergraduate courses within the civil and mechanical engineering programs at Qatar University following the principle of constructive alignment. Students from all four courses were PBL beginners, while in courses 1 and 3 the instructors were piloting PBL as their first experience. The various assessment methods were developed in response to the nature of the subject, course objectives, and students’ levels. Improved student motivation, engagement, and active participation in teamwork has been observed by all the instructors. The ongoing change initiatives toward PBL as the four courses described in the current study provide a basis for an initial change action and suggest a longer-term plan involving more instructors and students to engage in the change. The experiences shared in this study can be used as inspiration for not only engineering educators in Qatar but also higher educational educators in general.