Pedagogical Innovation in Engineering Education Through KW Analysis and Benchmark Validation of Collaborative Assessments

Background: Traditional summative assessments dominate engineering education despite calls for inclusive methods addressing diverse learning needs. International student cohorts face challenges adapting to Western academic cultures emphasising independent learning. This three-year investigation examined whether balanced individual-group assessment configurations (50:50) enhance satisfaction and learning experience in a postgraduate engineering module with 90% international enrolment. Method: Module Evaluation Questionnaire data from 195 students were analysed across three academic years (2020–2023). The intervention replaced one individual assessment with a group-based project. Five-student collaborative groups completed laboratory projects with structured peer evaluation. Statistical analysis employed Kruskal–Wallis tests and Cohen’s d across four satisfaction themes: Organisation and Clarity, Teaching Quality, Assessment, and Learning Experience. Results: Learning Experience satisfaction increased from 70.12% to 92.93% following implementation, with statistically significant improvement (H = 5.4, p = 0.020) and large effect size (Cohen’s d = 2.20, outperforming the literature benchmarks). Remaining themes showed medium effect sizes (d = 0.58–0.72) but remained stable, indicating the intervention enhanced experiential dimensions without disrupting operational quality. Response variability decreased 52.5%. Conclusions: Mixed-assessment strategies significantly enhance learning experience while maintaining academic standards in internationalised engineering education. The 50:50 individual-group balance with five-member teams and anonymous peer evaluation provides a validated framework for educators facing internationalisation pressures.