Assessing Collaborative Efforts

Dr. Siemens points out that (Laureate, 2008) the challenge with assessing collaborative learning has to do with redesigning a model that was solely based on individual learning. In regards to collaborative assessments, Dr. Siemens (Laureate, 2008) elaborates on several ways to assesses collaborative learning communities. Student Self Assessment is an example that could be used to assess student learning.  Students would assess their peers based on a rating scale by the way their peers collaborated with one another throughout the course. In my classroom, the students are grouped and given their assigned jobs, once the task is completed each group member is required to complete a group evaluation assessment which allows the student to rate each group member. Once the students know ahead of time that they will be evaluated on their performance in the group they tend to put forth more effort and produce a better quality of work. Receiving feedback from your community members or peers is also a valuable way to assess collaborative group work. Providing constructive feedback is very vital in a learning community because an open line of communication is extremely important when trying to lay the foundation for collaboration. The learners will be evaluated based on their comments. With this kind of interaction the learners form closer relationships with their learning community. Student contribution is also another way to assess collaboration. This type of assessment generally generates a grade. This kind of collaboration is easily managed in a collaborative learning environment by simply looking at a contribution log. Educators can also access learners based on information gained from a learning management system this kind of assessment allows the instructor to see how many hours a student is on line, in a group activity, and how many post and responses the student contributed to a discussion question.

The primary goal of an assessment is to access what the learner knows and demonstrate bases on the content that was covered. Assessments should be equitable in regards to the students’ performance in class. It should not matter if a student made minimal gains or significant gains as long as the students demonstrated growth. Educators must move passed grade based assessments and look for assessments that are authentic in context which constitutes to be a more valuable assessment.

Unfortunately, some students are reluctant and do not want to collaborate in online learning communities. I am sure that these students have valid reasons for opting out this kind of interaction; nevertheless, when there are community members who are not pull their fair share of the load the members in the community need to express their concerns to the reluctant nonparticipant. If the issue is not resolved, then concerns need to be reported to the instructor immediately. Reason being, if this kind of behavior persists the integrity of the learning community becomes a concern and grades are in jeopardy.  The instructor’s role then becomes more of a facilitator (Palloff and Pratt 2007) and assessing the group as whole needs to be reconsidered. Once way to do this is by creating a grading rubric or scale that assess the students individually.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Assessment of collaborative learning. Baltimore: Author

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.