Portfolio assessment of laboratory practicals integrating learning across modules

Physical Metallurgy, a compulsory module on the part time and full time Materials Engineering degree programme at Sheffield Hallam University has for a number of years utilised a series of separate practical based laboratories in order for students to gain a greater understanding of some key concepts associated with linking microstructure to properties and processing. One of the main issues of these stand-alone practicals was that students were following a menu of tasks, leading to a lack of deeper understanding of key concepts and theories and therefore were unable to link information between each of them. A recent revision of this module has drawn the practical elements into a year-long integrated package of practical work, where students undertake an investigation, developing broader and deeper skills. Additionally the learning strategy utilises the output of another module in manufacturing, using the output of a casting practical linking the two modules with an integrating investigation, eventually leading to summative assessment by portfolio. This paper will detail the development of the new programme of work undertaken by the students and evaluate, using student feedback, and how student learning and achievement has been improved compared to previous methodologies.