1 Arts Faculty, Macquarie University Foundations in e Learning & Teaching, 9 September 2009 Team/Group Work & Assessment Assessment is ‘the senior partner in learning and teaching. Get it wrong, and the rest collapses.’ (Biggs,1999:160). Penelope Watson Macquarie Law School

2 Why team/group work? Experiential model – active L, student centred, peer tutoring, learner managed learning (LML) Promotes engagement Promotes wellbeing and community - connectedness Enhances content learning (K) Develops co-op learning/ working skills – grad caps (S) Promotes learner autonomy - indep /interdepend – LLL (A) Well-being /affective benefits – mentoring /peer tutoring / reduce isolation & alienation - retention Specify in learning outcomes

3 Generic skills/ graduate capabilities Communication Leadership – distributed/ shared best Goal setting, planning, decision making Project management - Work flow, process, co-ordination Problem solving Personal & time management, meeting skills Conflict management /utilization Self & peer evaluation Reflective practice ie indiv & co-op learning & working skills/caps –lifelong learning

4 Assessment – start here What? Why? How? Align with learning outcomes – KSA incl LLL Align with MQ Assessment Policy & Procedure Summative & formative Process & product Criteria – set by teacher? negotiated? Must specify Balance team & indiv - choice where poss (LML) Fully embed in unit/ program ie teach + practise + assess + feedback & repeat - cycle Check logistics Make it challenging!

5 Summative Assessment – Who? 1. Teacher assessed: – same mark for each team member – students divide team mark betw selves as appropriate (effort/ ability/ commitment) – indiv marks 2. Self assessed – team/ indiv 3. Peer assessed – team/ indiv/ whole class

6 Summative Assessement – How? Team oral presentation and/or written work – all aspects done collaboratively – same mark Stdts work collaboratively on same task, peer tutor, but write own final product and assessed individually Stdts work collaboratively on indiv but similar/ related tasks – eg diff probs on same topic – peer tutoring - submit indiv assignmts - half of mark indiv, half team average Stdts prepare collaboratively, peer tutor, teacher selects one at random to take test for all

7 Marking process not just product TW = experiential learning Criteria must be explicit Reflective – DATA model Related to theory/ literature? How demonstrated? Journals, learning logs, critical incident reports – encourage diversity of format/ creativity What did they learn? About what?

8 Summative Assessment - example 1. Team project30/40% research + 2 hr oral presentatn + written – choice format/ topic - 4 Is - OR authentic (workplace related) eg brief 2. Peer & self assessment10/20% team observations x 2 + verbal feedback + written rep’t (journal) 3. Reflective assignment10/20% indiv journal, various formats 4. Indiv task40/50% NB Complies with MQ Assessment policy – diversity, min 3 tasks, feedback, promotes self assessment skills, promotes grad caps, LML

9 Grad caps & formative assess Set readings on specific skills – I team p/wk Readings on reflective practice - DATA In class practice and/ or discussion team observations In class formative tasks eg De Bono 6 hat Thinking exercises Brain storming Group mind mapping De- briefing team experiences Outdoor experiential learning – games, physical challenges etc

10 Social loafing & conflict Important ethical issues Set up teams properly – students choose - agree ground rules, learning contracts, conflict plan Build checks into assessment eg teacher /stdt conferences, journals, team observations – reliable, transparent, fair Set readings on conflict management Teacher ADR – negotiation etc Teacher action as last resort ESCAPE clause – MUST build into assessment

11 Last word Do it carefully or don’t do it at all! Thorough preparation – learning outcomes, assessment & KSAs, planning, resources, logistics, institutional req’mts Staff learning (PD) implications Communicate clear expectations & rules Careful monitoring Timely intervention where necessary Who you gonna call? Good luck!