Implementation of the continuous assessment in Physics in the Optics and Optometry Degree: reflections and results

Abstract

The assessment is the most complicated task in the teaching work and it should be especially useful to improve the features and results of the learning process proposed at the beginning of an academic year. It must incorporate tools with which we are able not only to qualify or assess the continued acquisition of knowledge by students but also must provide information on the skills acquired by the student. The use of continuous assessment has been imposed in all degrees at the University of Alicante, limiting those situations where a final test is performed not to exceed the 50% of the student final mark. In this work, we present and analyze the results of developing and implementing a model of continuous and summative assessment in Physics, a subject of attending classes in the set of considered basic ones of the Optics and Optometry Degree of the University of Alicante. Final results have been disappointing considering the involved effort, although some questions enable us to provide further improvement. Compared to previous two years when there were two tests, a midterm and a final qualifying examination, there is a quantitative improvement. Regarding the average score of students who passed, there was also a slight improvement in the current year. It should be noted that students who attended Physics in secondary school show great facility to get the minimum knowledge and ways of working required to pass the year. Finally, we propose possible improvements in the methodology of the teaching-learning process.