Torquetum

 

Goulet describes a multivariable calculus course which was outcomes-based in that 15 goals were determined through communication with lecturers of subsequent courses. The students’ assessments were not simply graded as usual, but each question was graded towards achievement of a goal. If goals were not achieved in any particular assessment, a retest had to be taken until all goals were achieved. This way poorly understood concepts would remain current for the students rather than becoming “history”. The students liked “having clear cut objectives stated and pursued, the chance to get better at something if not initially successful, and the means to improve their grade” (p. 205). The response was good, from students and lecturer, although Goulet observes that assessing in this way does add to the lecturer’s workload. I am interested in the role of theory in engineering maths so I find it interesting than none of the goals had anything to do with theorems, proofs or even derivations. Food for thought.