by creating smaller, individual assignments as wellas as have "colleague feedback" in which other members can provide evaluation.
By individual & group sessions. It helps to create team work as well as individual achievement.
I look at the value of the contributions each person makes to the group. I also look at who has followed through on their specific tasks and who has not put forth the effort.
In my class I have spreadsheets where I record lab tasks as the students complete them. This allows me to keep an eye on progress and see who excels, who does pretty good, and who may need some extra (tutoring)help.
I'm in agreement. If instructors have clearly defined the task and perhaps had class discussion about the steps for completion, students can assume respnsibility for organizing themselves. The more ownership they can take, the more likely they will be fully engaged.
I like having group time in class so I can see and hear how they are functioning in the group. For research projects, however, much of the work must be done outside of class, and that's hard to evaluate.
AS a team members can be evaluated as to how they interact with each other, and how they help each other to succeed as a team.
I use multiple ways to try to effectively evaluate individual effort within a group. In my writing classes, each person will submit copies of the articles they have found that will be used in the final paper. They will prepare an outline of the portion of the paper that they are contributing and turn that in prior to the final paper's submission. I also have weekly check-in assignments in which they report what they have accomplished since last class period and how that is going to factor in to the final paper. After the paper is done, they will rate each person in their group on a pie chart, with each person's contribution including their own, visually represented. And, of course, I use the "fly on the wall" technique as I float around the room to make an assessment for myself of who's doing what.
Greetings Gina!
So when this much is done for a groupg, don't you think we have removed the one thing we hope to accomplish - and that is the group process itself - forming, storming, norming, performing and disbanding? What do you think?
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
You can evaluate an individual's efforts in a group setting by planning out your tasks for each group activity. You should outline what the group is to achieved, what is expected of them and emphasize what each member should contribute.
Greeting Krista!
Very well thought out system. I find that most students are apprehensive about group work for the reason you identified - and furthermore often thay are correct. So my question to you is a difficult one to answer - how do instructors/educators help students be more engage in a group activity for which a grade is earned? Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I like to step back when in lab and observe the group interaction for a minute or two. It gives me a chance to see who is interacting and participating while seeing if any students are struggling.
When I put students into learning groups, I find that one of their biggest anxieties is how they will be graded. Many of the strong students hate the idea of a group grade, because then they think they'll have to do most of the work in order to get an A or a B.
With this in mind, I like to evaluate my students in three different ways. I give one group grade which is 40% of the total project grade. I also give an individual grade, which is 60% of the total project grade. Finally, I require each student to evaluate their fellow group members; the questions I ask include: "How did your group work together?" "What did this person contribute to the group?" "If you were responsible for giving a grade to this person, what do you think s/he earned and why?" The peer evaluations don't count towards the grade, but they help me determine what grade each individual in the group deserves.
This is the fairest method I have come up with to grade group projects thus far.
Monitor individual contributions to the overall goal of the group. I also watch for COG's Ladder in terms of the dynamics. In other words, if I put two strong-willed "Type As" together, will they work together or fight with each other for power?
Other examples are to rotate the project leader position to allow each student an opportunity to make decisions. These examples often depend of the subject (objective versus subjective topics).
In any case, each student should strive to contribute to the overall effectiveness of the team and my evaluation is based on that role, how well they performed in that role, and "how" they interacted with peers in that role.
Greg
Splitting up the assignment tasks among the members of he group. The group should decide as a team what portion of he assignment each member will present.
One way is to rotate the responsiblities of the group ie. let the student know the week before they will be the leader of say a focus group on a particular subject and will lead the group then report on the key points discussed.
It requires the leader to manage the group in the allocated time to develop responses to a particular subject.
It also builds respect among the students especially when they know they will be a leader in a future class.
keeping track of students and how much they participate in the group activity will help to grade students who work in groups
While the group is working with each other, I would observe them. It will become apparent who the "leader" is and who are the followers -- or if there are multiple "leaders." Their strengths and weaknesses will become readable as they progress with their assignment and I watch them interact with each other.
By making sure each student has a part of the project to work on by themselves. Then they will turn in another part of the project as a team.
By assigning certain tasks, student feel everyone is pulling thier own weight. They can also learn from each others strengths and weaknesses.
My evaluation is based on several factors - (1) the "product" submitted by the individual, (2) my observations of the group "in action" (particularly leadership-related situations), and (3) peer evaluations. Most of the time, all three factors point to the same conclusion, but occasionally one factor stands out as particularly positive/negative.
