New systems for an ongoing assessment of the students´ performance. Case study of coaching in the forest engineering degree

Abstract

This paper describes the use of “Coaching” as a tool to an ongoing assessment of the students´ performance, in the knowledge arena of “enterprise organisation”, within the framework of the Forestry Engineering Degree.

In recent years, coaching is becoming a useful tool in the professional and personal development. Therefore, this new tool was incorporated with positive impacts on both the ongoing assessment of students´ performance as well as on the transfer of generic skills, so relevant in university degrees of engineering.

Thus, in the new framework of the European Higher Education Area, the professor becomes a coach, a guide in the competences learning process, leaving aside the role of "person who simply teaches”. Such competences will be applied by students once they finished their university stage.

Furthermore, coaching as methodology and teaching strategy is one of the most suitable to help in the ongoing assessment of the student. Thus, it is emphasised the learning-by-doing in the professional and maturity development of the student, counting on the help of the coach. In this case, strengthening of the role of feedback acquires a high relevance.