Module 3: Assessing Collaborative Efforts

George Siemens states that assessment in a collaborative environment can be very difficult because the students share a score, and the grade may not reflect any individual’s performance.  There cannot be the assumption that you can put people together to work on a task, and they will automatically become a team and know how to work together (Hurst & Thomas, 2008, p. 468).  It is important to make participants feel comfortable with, and trusting of, the online environment early in the process (p. 447).  In a group, the individuals each bring in their own expertise, strengths, and weaknesses – just like in the “real world”.  For an instructor to ensure a “fair and equitable assessment” of learning, then the objectives and rubric for the project need to be clear and understandable by all students.  The students also need to have all of the information and skills necessary to complete the tasks at hand.  The instructor also needs to place students together in groups who can meet at common times, are able to communicate with each other, and have the technological skills to complete the tasks.

George Siemens says that there is a growing emphasis of doing things in groups, learning is becoming collaborative in nature, and the individualistic model of education does not reflect society and the networked age we live in today.  If a student does not want to work in a collaborative environment, than supports within the distance education school should be used to intervene.  This can include academic support, one-on-one communication with the instructor, or other resources at the school.  If this is an isolated situation, then I don’t think that the learning objectives, rubric, or assignment should be modified.  An online group discussion or arbitration may be necessary.  If this is an ongoing issue within a certain class, then the curriculum and/or projects should be revisited and possibly modified.  The instructor also can modify the lesson plans and/or project to make it more accessible to different learning styles, but the learning objectives and desired outcomes should be the same for all students.

References:

Hurst, D., & Thomas, J. (2008). Developing team skills and accomplishing team projects online. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed., pp. 441–472). Edmonton, AB: Athabasca University Press.

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

Laureate Education, Inc. (2008). Learning Communities. Baltimore: MD, Author.