LMS-supported PBL assessment in an undergraduate engineering programCase study

Technology has clearly infiltrated all aspects of the education process. In traditional teaching settings, there is an abundance of tools that can assist instructors in delivering their courses, as is evident from the number of available learning management systems (LMS) and other tools. However, LMS platforms are not as well developed for non-traditional teaching techniques in which the students play a bigger role in the learning process. An example of such techniques is the project-based learning (PBL) model where autonomous group work is at the heart of the course delivery and non-conventional assessments are utilized. In this study, we explore the potential and highlight some limitations of adapting Moodle (a popular, open source LMS system) to a PBL environment. We show that Moodle has a potential to leverage the learning process when it is utilized as the main communication platform (student-student and student-instructor) due to the abundance of accessibility and versatility such a tool provides to the instructor and the students. The use of LMS allowed us to better evaluate the course design, monitor student's performance, and communicate expectations with students. This has resulted in improving the course design, assessment, and students learning as was evidenced from the collected assessment data.