Assessment of competencies’ development in students of technical university: MADI experience

Various types and multiple examples of competencies’ control and assessment are considered. Assignments helping to reveal the level of different competencies’ development are presented. The assignments include: multiple choice tests; tests with excessive and insufficient volume of provided information; tests with incompatible data; tasks revealing the depth of students’ general knowledge and ability to use it in conditions of professional challenge for the purpose of finding effective solutions; tasks revealing students’ memory strength; assignments with various solutions or a unique one. Students’ behaviour and methods used by them in the process of task solving in new dynamic conditions are described. These methods demand deep professional knowledge, creativity, resourcefulness, and quick thinking. Introduction and employment of competency-based and professionally oriented tasks in the process of practical training can increase progress in students’ performance. As a result, the students demonstrate higher interest in learning Physics and become capable of deeper understanding of the role and significance played by Physics in technique. Comparison of the exam results demonstrated by the two students’ groups (one of them solved competency-based and professionally oriented tasks, the second group had a traditional form of practical classes) supports the above-mentioned statement. Employment of competency-based and professionally oriented tasks is very useful and important for the achievement of targeted effectiveness in the assessment process. These tasks are instrumental in deeper understanding of learning material and strengthening students’ learning motivation.