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SOLO Taxonomy in the Evaluation of Engineering Students: A Case Study in Mathematics

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Mathematical Methods for Engineering Applications (ICMASE 2023)

Part of the book series: Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics ((PROMS,volume 439))

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Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study whose main objective was to analyze the assessments by exam in higher education according to the SOLO Taxonomy (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome) over the last five years, in particular the cognitive complexity required in each question and the “quality” of the exam. The data were collected in the Mathematical Analysis exams of the Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. In total, 130 items presented in 10 exams (2 per year) from 2019 to 2023 were surveyed. The SOLO index of these exams was always higher than 16, with the exception of one exam from 2023 with an index of 14.55. The analysis reveals that the exams are composed of items classified at the highest levels of cognitive complexity, according to the SOLO Taxonomy, and associated with the student’s deep learning. Thus the authors were able to study their pedagogical practices in relation to the assessment and, consequently, to consciously prepare the assessment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute of Engineering, Coimbra, Portugal

    Cristina M. R. Caridade

  2. CICGE, DGAOT, FCUP, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

    Cristina M. R. Caridade

  3. Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute of Engineering, Coimbra, Portugal

    Verónica Pereira

Authors
  1. Cristina M. R. Caridade
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  2. Verónica Pereira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cristina M. R. Caridade .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Universitario de Tecnología y Arte Digital (U-tad), Madrid, Spain

    Víctor Gayoso Martínez

  2. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, Polatli, Ankara, Türkiye

    Fatih Yilmaz

  3. Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Araceli Queiruga-Dios

  4. Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Deolinda M.L.D. Rasteiro

  5. Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Jesús Martín-Vaquero

  6. Technical University of Civil Engineering, Bucharest, Romania

    Ion Mierluş-Mazilu

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Caridade, C.R., Pereira, V. (2024). SOLO Taxonomy in the Evaluation of Engineering Students: A Case Study in Mathematics. In: Gayoso Martínez, V., Yilmaz, F., Queiruga-Dios, A., Rasteiro, D.M., Martín-Vaquero, J., Mierluş-Mazilu, I. (eds) Mathematical Methods for Engineering Applications. ICMASE 2023. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics, vol 439. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49218-1_8

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