Construction and Empirical Analysis of a Multi-Source Assessment System for Theoretical Mechanics under an Outcome-Based Education Framework

Abstract

To overcome the limitations of using a single aggregate score to distinguish differences in knowledge mastery, engineering application, and learning-process performance in Theoretical Mechanics, this study developed a multi-source assessment framework based on outcome-based education (OBE). The framework links course outcomes, assessment components, evidence sources, and instructional improvement. Data were collected from two intact classes of Mechanical Design, Manufacturing and Automation in the first semester of the 2025-2026 academic year and included stage tests, homework, learning-management-system (LMS) quizzes, an integrated project, and item-level final-examination scores. The mean final-examination score was 51.17 ± 22.89. The cohort attainment levels for Course Outcomes 1, 2, and 3 were 0.513, 0.436, and 0.553, respectively. Mean stage-test and LMS-quiz scores showed moderate positive correlations with final-examination performance (r = 0.461 and 0.406, respectively; p < 0.01). Project scores were high with limited dispersion and were not significantly correlated with final-examination scores. The multi-source assessment identified kinematics and multi-step calculation tasks as the main learning bottlenecks and revealed insufficient discrimination in project scoring. Accordingly, tiered learning tasks, an analytic project rubric, and a data-informed diagnostic feedback cycle are proposed.