Electrical engineering 215 - a case study in assessment

While assessment is a ´buzz-word´ at many- universities, the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) has actively applied assessment techniques over the past two decades. This paper addresses the assessment approach, techniques and outcomes that have evolved the required electrical engineering core course for all non-engineering majors, Electrical Engineering 215 (EE 215), The statistical data is derived from 8354 cadets, who were enrolled in EE 215 from its initial Spring 1991 offering through Spring 2000. The emphasis is the Spring 2000 semester. The USAFA´s automated assessment tool is a macro-driven, excel-spreadsheet that records all graded events and produces objective statistical assessment data. The assessment challenge, facing any academic institution, is to establish cost-effective procedures that provide the necessary assessment outcomes without requiring excessive academic-staff efforts. This case study illustrates example procedures, tools, benefits, and problems in collecting multi- section, core-course assessment data. In summary, the USAFA assessment procedures and developed course material has general academic community application.