Developing transferable groupwork skillsfor engineering students

Student assessment and the development of transferable personal skills are receiving increasingattention in higher education establishments. This study examined the potential for enhancingstudent learning through the development of groupwork, presentation and self- and peer-assessmentskills on an industrial engineering undergraduate course. A methodology is described whichindicates the approach adopted and a questionnaire evaluates students' impressions of the process.The overall conclusion to be drawn from the investigation is that skill development does take placeand that students find groupwork an enjoyable learning experience. With regard to self- and peer-assessment, students were not as enthusiastic. Ultimately, there is a need to continue to involvestudents so that they can see evaluation in a positive, developmental light and to encourage studentsto take a more proactive role in assessing their performance.