Analysing and measuring students' experiences

A methodology for analysing and measuring experience of students is presented, which was applied during an engineering course, focusing along with engineering topics on the development of academic writing, presentation and teamwork. The methodology based on multi-criteria principles, offers flexibility in the sense that a tutor focusing on specific skills or competencies can adapt it according to his/her effort. The multi-criteria method used, estimates a set of indices, which offer valuable information about the level of competencies that students may have or have acquired. Moreover, in the cases that we have applied the methodology at least twice in different courses, we can calculate the contribution of our effort to the development of competencies. Or, in other words, by quantifying the contribution of a course on a three-level scale as slight - moderate - substantive, we can `prove' compliance with quality assurance issues. The methodology is based on a pre- and post-experience self-evaluation approach about competencies/skills, that students may have before entering and after the completion of a course, respectively. Behind this effort it is assumed firstly that courses are the `vehicles' for the development of students' competencies and secondly that tutors apply teaching - learning and assessment - feedback methods or techniques other than the usual lecturing. An application in a Greek Engineering School is discussed, too. The obstacles, limitations, strengths and weaknesses as well as some theoretical issues are presented. More generally speaking, this kind of initiatives require the following: low number of students per class, investment in time at least for the initial redesign of a course, a few pioneers who may be individuals other than those mostly oriented on research than teaching, and finally fewer teaching topics because time is spent for both engineering and competencies issues.