Evaluation

No course is complete without a mechanism to evaluate the student's learning. This web resource (for obvious reasons) cannot contain sample quizzes and examinations.

Portfolio Option

As an alternative to the exam in my course, I offer students the opportunity to document their professional capabilities through a 'portfolio'. This document includes the assignments (exercises, case study essays and project) with a synthesis that explains the role of each one in a larger framework. The portfolio should be developed iteratively, with a draft (and incomplete) version due on the Exam date, and the final product due on the final class meeting. The portfolio option is not a way to do less work: it does provide a chance to document what a student is learning, to reflect upon the learning process and to generate a useful credential for potential job searches.

Student who have used the portfolio usually are better motivated than the average. They work a lot harder, and often produce careful documentation of their learning.