Outcome Based Capstone Project Design Assessment: a Case Study on an Electrical Engineering Program

Design experience is an important component for all engineering curriculum to prepare students for engineering practice. An ABET-accredited engineering curriculum is required to culminate “a major design experience based on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier course work and incorporating appropriate engineering standards and multiple realistic constraints.” A capstone project is a significant part of an overall framework of outcome-based education in engaging electrical engineering students in engineering design process. This article demonstrates an example of an assessment framework used in Capstone Project courses in electrical engineering program at Mahidol University. The assessment, which was created based on ABET student outcomes and educational objectives, is used to ensure that student design projects incorporate stakeholders' requirements and other relevant design aspects, and to instill professional attributes in students as well as to drive the continuous improvement of the courses and the program according to outcome-based education framework.

I. Introduction

Outcome Based Education (OBE) focuses on the program and course outcomes; student-centered learning activities; regular assessment and evaluation and continuous improvement of the program [1]. Electrical Engineering (EE) program at Mahidol University has adopted OBE to ensure the graduates obtain necessary professional attributes to meet stakeholders in industry. ABET [2] provides a framework for the assessment of student learning based on a number of outcomes specified in Criterion 3 (Student Outcomes or SO) as part of general criteria for program accreditation. Mahidol University EE program complies with all general criteria and has been accredited since October 1, 2020 (the first ABET accredited EE program in Thailand).