Assessing Experimental Skills in Engineering Students: A Longitudinal Approach

Abstract

Contribution: This article presents a longitudinal and quantitative methodology to assess and strengthen experimental skills in undergraduate engineering students. It addresses the research question: How can experimental skills be objectively assessed and monitored throughout an undergraduate engineering program using a longitudinal approach? Unlike previous approaches focused on short-term evaluations or self-perceptions, this study introduces an objective, replicable, and data-driven strategy to measure students’ abilities to plan, execute, analyze, and conclude experimental activities. Background: Experimental skills are essential competencies in engineering education because they enable students to design experiments, interpret results, and apply engineering judgment. However, many engineering programs lack systematic approaches to monitor their development throughout the curriculum. This work addresses this gap by proposing a framework for continuous assessment of experimental abilities across courses and academic levels. Intended Outcomes: This research aims to develop and validate a longitudinal strategy that provides quantitative evidence of students’ progression and identifies areas requiring pedagogical interventions. Application Design: The methodology integrates three stages: assessment, intervention, and feedback. A standardized experimental case study evaluates students’ abilities without requiring specialized knowledge from a specific engineering discipline, allowing application across engineering fields. Performance indicators (PIs) assess experimental planning, execution, data analysis, and conclusion. Students are evaluated in two courses: diagnostic (Circuits II) and exit (Capstone Design) of two programs within the same university. Findings: Results over five years and 240 students show improvement trends in planning experimental skills, where the exit course outperforms the diagnostic course.