Keywords: Assessment, innovation competence (critical thinking, creativity, initiative, teamwork, networking), project-based learning, online learning, motivation, feedback, complementary evaluation
What and Why:
The pilot was carried out in the Strategic Sourcing course, an optional course designed for 2nd and 3rd-year Industrial Management and Engineering students. The participant group was diverse, comprising TUAS students, exchange students, double degree students, and international degree students. Building on pilots conducted last spring, this iteration continued to focus on evaluating innovation competencies. However, the emphasis shifted to self-assessment of these skills within the context of group work. Additionally, peer-assessment was introduced as an optional component, offering students the opportunity to receive feedback from their teammates.
Participation in the SINCOE project research was voluntary, allowing students the option to opt out if they preferred. Under this arrangement, a total of 15 responses were collected and utilized as the foundation for this research. Accordingly, the findings and conclusions presented in this summary are based on these 15 responses.
In this pilot, we explored the use of the Cogknit platform as a tool to facilitate collaboration between students and a company on a project for the company. Cogknit was employed to evaluate and showcase the skills and knowledge students developed during their studies. Specifically, students assessed the competencies they demonstrated while working on the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool as part of the Strategic Sourcing course. The platform focused on assessing innovation competencies, with students encouraged to seek feedback from their teammates as part of the evaluation. Finally, we examined how the platform’s visual summary supports learning, skill identification, and development, as well as its potential value during studies and beyond—particularly in career development, continuous learning, and job search.
How:
In the beginning of the course, the students were informed that assessment of the project and the work done will be included in the course. Two weeks before the end of the course, the students were given the following instruction/task to be completed by the end of the course:
“Self-assessment of the Sourcing and procurement annual calendar tool group work in the Strategic Sourcing course
Log into your team’s workspace in the Cogknit system. There you will find a list of skills that describe various innovation competencies that are useful in both studies and work life. Assess your skills as they emerged in this assignment for the Sourcing and procurement annual calendar tool in the Strategic Sourcing course. If you wish, ask one or more members of your team to assess your performance in the Cogknit system. This way you will get a more comprehensive summary of your work.
Review your summary for your own assessment and feedback from your team members. How do you feel that making skills visible through such a visual summary provided by the Cogknit platform supports learning or identifying and developing your own competences? If you could follow the development of these skills in different projects during your studies and receive feedback on these skills not only from your teacher and peers but also from the commissioning company, would you find it useful and how? Would you see such a tool as useful after graduation to demonstrate the development of your skills, for example in terms of career development, continuous learning or job search?”
Students conducted a self-assessment of their innovation competencies, focusing on skills demonstrated during the group project for the Sourcing and Procurement annual calendar tool. Using the Cogknit platform, they evaluated their own skills and had the option to request peer assessments for a more comprehensive review. They reflected on how the platform’s visual summaries supported their learning, skill identification, and development. Additionally, students considered the tool’s potential usefulness for tracking skill progression across projects and receiving feedback from peers, teachers, and companies, as well as its application after graduation for career development, lifelong learning, and job search.
Outcome:
The assessment tool effectively helped students articulate and concretize their group work outcomes by linking their critical thinking, creativity, initiative, teamwork, and networking skills to specific project examples. The feedback provided deeper insights into their competencies and complemented the numerical grades assigned by the teacher, enhancing the evaluation process.
Recommendations: [tips, guidelines, notes…]
Based on the student feedback from the pilot, the following tips and guidelines are suggested to improve future iterations of the course and the use of the Cogknit platform:
Students mentioned that engaging with self-assessment early on in the course would allow them more time for reflection and improvement. It is recommended to introduce the Cogknit self-assessment tool at the beginning of the course so that students can start tracking their competencies throughout the entire project, rather than waiting until the end. This would enable them to adjust their approach and seek feedback earlier in the process.
Several students expressed a need for clearer instructions and examples of how to effectively assess their competencies. To enhance the experience, it would be helpful to provide detailed guidelines on what specific behaviors and skills to focus on when evaluating themselves. Sharing examples of well-written self-assessments or model answers could also help students understand expectations better.
While peer-assessment was offered as an optional component, it was underutilized by some students. Encouraging more consistent use of peer-assessment throughout the project would help students gain a broader perspective on their contributions. Consider integrating peer-assessment as a mandatory part of the course evaluation process, with specific checkpoints for feedback during the project.
Students appreciated the visual summaries provided by the Cogknit platform but suggested that further explanations on how to interpret these summaries could help them better understand their growth. It would be beneficial to include a session or resource dedicated to guiding students on how to analyze and act on the data provided by the visual summaries, particularly in terms of identifying areas for improvement.
Feedback highlighted that students found value in receiving feedback from both their peers and instructors, but some suggested that more direct interaction with the commissioning company would be beneficial. It is recommended to introduce more opportunities for students to interact with the company representatives throughout the course, such as through mid-project check-ins, feedback sessions, or presentations, to ensure that students align their work with real-world expectations.
Students expressed interest in the potential long-term value of the Cogknit tool for tracking skill development over the course of their studies. It would be valuable to extend the use of the platform beyond individual courses, allowing students to track their progress in multiple projects over time. This could serve as an ongoing portfolio that students can reference for career development, job searches, and continuous learning.
To enhance the reflective aspect of the assessment process, it is recommended to encourage students to not only evaluate their own performance but also reflect on how their skills have evolved during the course. Prompting them to consider how specific tasks or challenges helped develop their competencies can deepen their understanding of the learning process.
Several students emphasized the importance of understanding how innovation competencies translate to real-world professional environments. It would be beneficial to include more explicit connections between the competencies assessed in the course and how they are applied in actual industry scenarios. This could be done through guest speakers, case studies, or additional resources that showcase the practical use of these skills in the workplace.
By implementing these recommendations, future iterations of the course can better support students’ self-assessment, foster more collaboration, and ensure that students are equipped with the competencies needed to succeed in their careers.
Link to extended description.
