Peer and Self-Assessment in Portuguese Engineering Education

Abstract

This chapter describes the implementation of peer and self assessment intwo first-year engineering courses at the University of Minho in the northof Portugal. The results of a case study that was aimed at improving studentlearning by changing the assessment of learning, aim to illustrate the useof assessment as a powerful instrument to influence learning. The firstsection pays attention to learning and the influences of peer and selfassessment, with special attention to assessment within engineering courses.The second section focuses on the case study previously mentioned andillustrates how students assumed responsibility in their own assessmentprocess. Advantages and disadvantages of peer and self assessment arediscussed. The opportunities for e-learning in this case study are discussedin the penultimate section, whereas the last section highlights some of thelessons learned from the case study.