Calibrated peer review/sup TM/ and assessing learning outcomes

Abstract

The need for more focused and less-labor intensive assessment practices has brought new challenges, both for institutions and for individual educators. We elaborate on Calibrated Peer Review™ (CPR™) - an end- to-end computer-mediated learning environment that seamlessly integrates writing as a vehicle for critical thinking into a technical or content course. Developed as a tool to help incorporate writing into the teaching of science, CPR™ moves well beyond the scope of most web-delivered educational software. We draw from experiences using CPR™ in two courses offered at Rose -Hulman Institute of Technology, RH131 (Rhetoric and Composition) and ECE 360 (Principles of Engineering Design). We focus on four questions. First, what is CPR™ ? Second, how does CPR™ improve student learning? Third, how can CPR™ measure learning outcomes appropriate for an ABET-style assessment? And fourth, does the system serve as a de facto electronic portfolio in engineering education?