Use of an objective assessment tool to evaluate students' basic electrical

This case study has been developed as part of the Engineering Subject Centre Teaching Awards 2005-2006, from data gathered through a demonstration of the teaching and learning materials available, interviews with the tutor and a student focus group. The report examines the use of Objective Structured Technical Examinations (OSTEs) to assess engineering students' core practical and theoretical skills. OSTEs are based on similar type of assessment widely used in medical and health care courses (where they are Clinical Examinations, OSCEs) and involve students performing a series of short tasks in a fixed time that are individually assessed by a lecturer.