Assessing the effect of self-recorded video assignment on students’ critical thinking skills

This study explores the impact of self-recorded video assignments and peer feedback on enhancing critical thinking skills in higher education, specifically within a 4th year "Professional Engineering Ethics and Practice" course. By requiring students to analyze ethical dilemmas through self-recorded videos and engage in constructive peer feedback, the research aims to deepen students' reflection on ethical issues. Data collected from 27 students across two cohorts included grades from video assignments, peer comments, and student evaluations of their critical thinking skills and learning outcomes. The findings indicate a significant improvement in critical thinking skills, as evidenced by higher scores in the second video assignment compared to the first, and positive student perceptions of the learning experience. The research concludes that incorporating self-recorded video assignments and peer feedback can effectively enhance critical thinking and learning in engineering ethics courses, recommending their continued use in future curricula.