Using standardized examinations to assess engineering programs

The ABET EC2000 criteria require programs to have quality improvement processes in place to make decisions based on assessment data from student performance and program constituencies. Within this context, there is a need for development of additional quantitative measures that will be consistent over time and between instructors of whether students have mastered course learning objectives. This paper will discuss characteristics of valid quantitative assessment instruments for course learning objectives through a look at the development of the ABET EC2000 process in the chemical engineering program at North Carolina A&T State University. The chemical engineering program at A&T has been experimenting with department developed standardized exam questions. This has lead to the development of a database of questions for core courses that are organized by course learning objective, degree of difficulty of question, and type of question (conceptual or analytical). The questions are delivered to students through a web-based homework system, WebAssign®. A comparison will be made between nationally normed tests, i.e., the FE exam, and department developed standardized exams. Student and faculty response to development and use of standardized tests will be discussed.