Project assessment as an integrated part of the learning process in the problem-based and project-oriented study at Aalborg University

A constructivist model of project assessment was developed with the aim to further develop the student centred approach in the problem-based and project-oriented study at Aalborg University. The model is based on Niklas Luhmann’s operative constructivism and Donnald Schön’s idea of reciprocal reflection – in – action, as a way of educating the reflective practitioner. The basic idea is that students learn by way of asking good questions to their own learning processes, rather than by answering questions that are asked by the supervisor. The role of the supervisor is to be a reflective communication partner to the students. The model has been used in five project assessments within the engineering study programme at Aalborg University. It seems to improve both the students' reflections on their learning processes in general, as well as their understanding of the coherence in specific elements in their project. It has also proved to be rather time consuming and should therefor be accounted for in the planning of the curriculum. Introduction In this paper, the PBL model of the problem-based and project-oriented study used at Aalborg University is developed using the theory of Niklas Luhmann about operative constructivism [Rasmussen 1997] [Rasmussen 1998] and Schön's theory of reciprocal reflection in action [Schön 1987]. During a problem-based and project-oriented study, the students are encouraged to consider their learning objectives, in order to ensure that they fulfil the objectives of the study plan. At the same time, due to the nature of a problem-based project, they are not aware of in advance, which theories and methods they are going to use and learn about later on in the project period. An often-used solution to this problem is that the supervisor informs the students of what to do and how to solve the problem with which they are currently working. According