Developing a rubric for assessing students’ competencies in entrepreneurial-STEM learning context

ABSTRACT

The increasing emphasis on a competency-based learning approach in entrepreneurial-STEM (E-STEM) necessitates competency-based assessment tools to track students’ entrepreneurial development and enhance the quality of E-STEM projects. This study aims to create a valid analytical rubric for assessing students’ E-STEM competencies. Using a mixed-methods approach involving semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire, 152 undergraduate students participated. The process of developing the rubric involved two main stages. Phase 1 focused on rubric development, where dimensions and criteria were established. In Phase 2, the rubric was implemented for user validation, including assessment experts, faculty, and students. The research provides a valuable tool for E-STEM teachers to align assessment practices with learning outcomes. Results indicate the effectiveness of the developed E-STEM rubric in offering constructive feedback on learners’ competencies and performance. Additionally, the rubric establishes a more visible learning context, enabling students to self-regulate and explicitly assess their entrepreneurial competencies and projects.

KEYWORDS:

• Entrepreneurial-STEM learning
• formative assessment
• analytical rubric
• competency-based assessment
• constructive feedback, E-STEM competencies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marwa Eltanahy

Marwa Eltanahy, Assistant professor in education. She developed the first E-STEM model and published a series of research concerning STEM entrepreneurship in different educational stages. She has an extensive experience in the educational field with specific expertise in teaching, coordination, training teachers, and school accreditation. Her research interest includes STEM, Science education, curriculum, and instruction.

Nasser Mansour

Nasser Mansour is at Qatar University. Previously he was at Exeter University, UK. He is Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) in UK. He is a developer and designer for the Physics and Chemistry curricula and STEM for Cambridge International Examinations, Cambridge University, UK. His research involved STEM, teacher learning and, cultural issues related to science education.