Authentic Assessment of Programme Learning Outcomes in Infocomm Technology

This paper focuses on the assessment of Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs) in the context of Infocomm Technology (ICT) programmes, aiming to align these outcomes with industry expectations. Traditionally, PLOs are assessed internally through assignments and examinations, but to ensure graduates' future employability, it is crucial to incorporate authentic assessments conducted by the industry. To achieve this, our ICT programs at SIT adopt an Applied Learning pedagogy, integrating industry placements and projects. By allowing industry professionals to directly observe and evaluate students' performances, trust is established in SIT's assessment of PLO attainment. These evaluations provide valuable feedback on students' progress towards industry-related PLOs, enabling the refinement and realignment of educational programmes to meet industry expectations. This collaborative process fosters mutual trust between academia and industry, ensuring ongoing, authentic evaluations of PLO attainment levels. The work makes the case that feedback on PLO attainment is of great importance to universities as it informs the relevance of specific PLOs to industry, and allows for continuous improvement in curriculum design. Through active collaboration between academia and industry, competent graduates who meet industry expectations can be produced, enhancing educational outcomes. This paper emphasizes the significance of authentic assessments conducted by industry partners and analyses six years of data from this process.