Teamwork assessment in undergraduate Engineering courses

This study explores the effective design and development of a rubric that enhance learning and collaboration in project-based learning (PBL) environments. By gathering surveys and feedback from 152 Engineering undergraduate students and 12 staff members, we gained insights into the key elements and features of a rubric suitable for assessing teamwork skills in PBL contexts. The students emphasised the fairness and transparency on how the rubric was communicated and explained in addressing all assessment requirements, so that these were clearly understood by both academics and students. The academics noted the important elements of good teamwork, including anticipation, initiative, helping others, communicating, problem-solving, and actively seeking and suggesting solutions that show critical thinking and innovation. The outcome of our study supports the longer-term development of rubrics and their broader application as tools for assessing teamwork. These insights benefit researchers examining rubrics and seeking to understand academics' and students' perspectives.