Beyond drawings: innovating and evaluating CAD skills with a CAP-driven pedagogical model

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) education is integral to developing the technical competencies of engineering students. However, traditional assessment approaches in CAD courses often suffer from and lack of consistency. This study introduces a structured evaluation method using the Course Attainment Parameter (CAP) framework to objectively measure student performance across cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains. Conducted with 367 students enrolled in a core CAD course at a Malaysian public university, the research aligns Course Outcomes (COs) with measurable indicators, mapped to Programme Outcomes (POs) based on Outcome-Based Education (OBE) principles. Data analysis revealed a strong overall performance in the psychomotor and affective domains—particularly CO3 to CO5—where over 93% of students achieved satisfactory or higher results. Conversely, only 57.8% met the expected threshold in CO1, highlighting persistent challenges in cognitive attainment, particularly in understanding CAD-related theories. These findings emphasize the disparity between practical skill acquisition and theoretical comprehension. The CAP-based approach offers a transparent, data-driven tool for continuous course improvement and serves as a feedback mechanism for both instructors and students. This method not only enhances assessment accuracy but also supports curriculum refinement, instructional strategy optimization, and alignment with accreditation standards. Ultimately, this study demonstrates the value of CAP as a scalable model to improve learning outcomes and elevate the quality of CAD education in technical programs.