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Publication Date

2024

Abstract

With overall positive results and limited drawbacks, I have adapted modern pedagogical techniques to address a common difficulty encountered when teaching a computer networks course. Due to the tiered nature of the skills taught in the course, students often fail unnecessarily. Using mastery learning, competency-based education, and specifications grading as a foundation, I have developed a course that allows students with varied skills and abilities to pass. The heart of this approach is the flexible assessment of programming assignments which eliminates due dates and allows students to have their work graded and regraded without penalty. Flexible assessment also defines an interactive approach to grading which gives students immediate formative feedback and does not penalize initial failure. Using these instructional techniques, I improved the course completion rate by 30 percentage points compared to similar courses. Flexible assessment works best for upper-level courses that are not prerequisite courses because a student can pass without mastering all of the skills; their grade reflects the percentage of skills mastered rather than an average of the competency of all the skills taught. Drawbacks of flexible assessment include limited time for in-class preparation, limited opportunities to review programming assignments and the increase in time required for grading.

Volume

19

Issue

1

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