INNOVATIVE EXCEL-BASED ASSESSMENT SYSTEM: ENHANCING STUDENT OUTCOMES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

This paper introduces an innovative assessment system designed to evaluate student outcomes in the context of Mechatronics Engineering education, leveraging the capabilities of Microsoft Excel. The system revolves around a dynamic question bank created by the course instructor, covering various assignments, exams, and projects. Each question is intricately linked to specific course-intended learning outcomes (CILOs) and contributes to a holistic evaluation of students' achievements throughout the course. The flexibility of the system allows for regular updates to the question bank, aligning it with evolving course objectives. Utilizing Microsoft Excel, the assessment outcomes are automatically aggregated, offering a comprehensive overview of students' overall attainment of the course's learning objectives. This data-driven evaluation not only provides valuable feedback for both educators and students but also enables targeted interventions to address areas of difficulty. The paper emphasizes the adaptability of this assessment approach, showcasing its successful implementation in the Mechatronics Engineering program at the University of Technology Bahrain. The insights gained from the analysis of results have been instrumental in refining the program and enhancing overall educational quality. In contrast to conventional approaches, this system presents a flexible and responsive methodology, enabling instructors to consistently align the question bank with evolving course objectives. This technology-driven strategy represents a notable advancement over traditional assessment methods, providing a nuanced and effective mechanism for evaluating student learning outcomes. The outcomes of this research contribute to the ongoing discourse on innovative assessment methodologies, with potential implications for the improvement of engineering education and program quality across diverse academic settings. while implementing the proposed assessment system in the Mechatronics Engineering program, the obtained outcomes played a pivotal role in informing program modifications and improvements. The analysis of assessment results led to targeted adjustments in curriculum design, teaching methodologies, experience for students.