Evaluation

Evaluation methods conform to the rules used to evaluate coursework and exams. Further details about the methods specific to each academic department may be found in their respective evaluation descriptions (“Evaluating students’ knowledge”).

Teaching activities are evaluated according to University rules (see the rules for evaluating coursework and exams) namely written and oral exams, laboratory exams, individual or group work, public presentations of projects and theses defences.
These diverse measures of evaluation allow for a complete assessment of the students’ acquired skills. Written and oral exams are used to evaluate the knowledge acquired in Axis 1. Multiple choice questions (MCQ) may also be used to test knowledge but are less successful in testing students’ ability to adapt to different situations. Thus MCQ are never used alone. Certain written exams begin with a new situation-problem and most of the questions refer to the different steps to solve this situation-problem. Thus the exam isn’t a repetition or even a dissertation but an opportunity for students to use their skills to solve a new situation-problem. Thus students’ skills are tested vis-à-vis the main steps in the engineering process (Axis 2). Axis 3 is mainly evaluated through seminars and the graduation project. Axes 4-6 are evaluated through various measures. For example, regarding Axis 5, written communication may be evaluated through written exams or report writing while oral communication may be evaluated by oral exams, a thesis defence, and oral presentations.

Certificate-based evaluation of learning for Axes 1 and 2 is mainly carried out though exams that take place at the end of the semester. The questions mostly have to do with the application of typical exercises. This testing is consistent with the students’ acquired skills. The objectives of Axes 3-6 are most often obtained through the disciplinary mini-projects carried out in small groups. They are included in the teaching plan. When this is the case,the mini-project report is evaluated and the group mark contributes to the student’s final mark. In certain instances, teaching is done through the Learning by Problem Solving method (Apprentissage par problèmes or APP); for example in the required course MECA2821. In this case the APP group reports contribute to the student’s final mark.

For more information on evaluation methods, students may consult the relevant evaluation descriptions.

To obtain a passing grade, the marks received for the teaching units are offset by their respective credits.