Empirical Validation of a Multimodal Assessment Approach to Boost Engagement and Learning

Abstract

This study examines how a multimodal assessment system, which includes two team projects, one individual project, five assignments, and five in-class activities, affects the learning outcomes of students. Mixed-methods design was used to analyze performance data of 102 undergraduate students in an Innovation and Entrepreneurship course at the University of Kalba, UAE. There were five hypotheses tested on assessment balance, collaborative learning, student engagement, assessment diversity, and feedback utilization. Quantitative analyses (ANOVA, correlation, regression) indicated that a balanced assessment method is a reliable measure of different learning outcomes. The team projects generated a small, yet significant performance difference compared to individual work ($t (101) = 3.15, p < 0.01). In-class activities were strongly related to higher performance in all assessments (r mean = 0.62, p = 0.001), and moderate inter-relations (r = 0.51-0.77) indicated that different types of assessments measure different dimensions of learning. The students who received feedback the most were those performing poorly. These results confirm the student-based assessment model that incorporates collaboration, feedback, and various evaluation approaches.