Enhancing assessment to prepare undergraduates as effective built environment industry practitioners

Meeting the needs of industry is one function of higher education and preparing students for employment in industry is a central goal of professionally recognised undergraduate built environment courses. Assessment is a key influence on the learning activities students undertake. Designing assessment to be authentic to professional practice can support students' preparation and development for industry through the simulation of real world experiences. There is a considerable amount of literature regarding authentic assessment, yet most literature in this field does not specifically address the needs of construction undergraduates. To evaluate the efficacy of authentic assessment to support students learning and preparation for industry, an action research project was undertaken in a UK university. This paper reports part of that project, where an assessment brief was modified to enhance authenticity in a practice-based subject. Following this modification to assessment design, data concerning students' perception of the modified assessment was gathered from a focus group of students. Findings suggest that the authentic assessment was perceived by students as an improved experience which better supported their development of real world knowledge and skills.