Chemical education faces significant challenges due to the high level of abstraction required to understand complex structures and the relationship between microscopic particles and macroscopic properties. This study explores the implementation of a formative assessment (FA) approach aimed at improving learning outcomes in basic chemistry courses for engineering students. Heterogeneity of basic chemical knowledge among first-year students entering higher education is very common. Formative assessment significantly contributes to learning by providing immediate feedback and enabling students to refine their reasoning processes. The methodology is designed to systematically apply an auto-evaluable assessment process aligned with the learning outcomes while fostering a logical understanding of the chemical bond and Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theories. One of the main goals is to enhance student engagement by demonstrating the predictive power of simple chemical models in explaining material properties. Additionally, students learn to use a logical and reasoned approach to understanding the properties of inorganic substances as they occur in nature, for prediction, and for subsequent industrial treatments and commercial applications. Through structured formative assessment activities, including self-assessment, peer review, and iterative correction, students develop a deeper conceptual understanding and improve their problem-solving skills.

The proposed methodology also establishes clear and transparent grading criteria, ensuring consistency in evaluation and facilitating structured review and appeal processes for written exams. This study was conducted within the framework of Chemical Fundamentals of Engineering (CFE), a subject integrated into the first-year engineering curriculum. It is a core subject in the degrees of Electrical Engineering, Automatic and Industrial Electronic Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.

In this project, students were required to determine the formula and properties (such as polarity) of certain real substances based on one or more atomic numbers (Z). This process involves several consecutive steps, including distinguishing between elements (in the periodic table) and associations of elements (molecular elements and compounds) as found in nature, applying classical theories of chemical bonding (ionic, covalent, and metallic) depending on the electronegativity of the elements and differentiating between molecules and other type of associations.

Keywords: Chemistry, Engineering, Formative Assessment, Basic atomic theories, Structure of matter.