Assessing Collaborative Efforts

Assessing Collaborative Efforts

How should participation in a collaborative learning community be assessed? How do the varying levels of skill and knowledge students bring to a course affect the instructor's "fair and equitable assessment" of learning?

Overall, in all classes whether face to face or distance learning the assessment comes from the instructor. Rubrics and other assessment tools have been designed to guide the instructor in the assessment process. Rubrics are a very effective tool to implement to have accurate assessment (Palloff & Praff, 2005). The rubrics outline what is expected, and the students are aware of what is expected of them and they can self evaluate their work. (Palloff & Pratt, 2005). According to Siemans (2008), he suggests that peer assessing and community assessing allows student to contribute to the assessment process. In learning communities, students can provide critical feedback that attributes to the assessment process. However, at the end of the assignment, it is the instructor that has the final say.

Some of these external factors can contribute in the assessment when working in learning communities such as:  timely post, technological issues, and students in the group not understanding the assignment. Therefore, the assessment of a student can never be concrete. For example, in some learning communities, some of the members may not be timely with assignments due to difficulties that could be technological or lack of knowledge. In an online class this is sometimes the issue is not clear. If you were face to face you would have a clearer understanding.

The instructor would only be able to determine this if he or she gets feedback from the learning community members. The instructor would have to look at the community as a whole and at each individual student. Did each student post in a timely manner? Did each student interact with each other to give feedback? Did students lack of these elements hinder other students in the learning community from completing their assignment? Overall, how well did this group collaborate on the assignment, classmate’s feedback, questions and comments.

If a student does not want to network or collaborate in a learning community for an online course, what should the other members of the learning community do?
The learning community has to work together towards the common goal. It takes communication, feedback, and collaboration from each member of team.  All of the members have to fully understand the time restraints on all the assignments to avoid making the community group late with assignments. In our classes the instructor has provided rubrics, time frames, and encouraged each of us to work together collaboratively. All members need to have a sense of belonging, and the best way to make this happen is great communication and clear understanding of the assignments.

What role should the instructor play? What impact would this have on his or her assessment plan?
There are challenges that community groups face. Achieving an effective learning community and a collaborative environment can be challenging in online classes. Palloff and Pratt (2005) explains how small groups are more effective. In other words there should be three to four members in a group.  All members must participate. For example, one member of my learning community had dropped the class, I did not know for a few days. Our professors become like coaches when we are working in the learning community. However, the instructor’s assessment has to be one of both individual and group effort when determining the final grade.


Reference:

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating Online Learning Together in Community. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Siemens, G. (Speaker). (2008). Learning Communities (Transcript of Video Program). Laureate Education, Inc.