brenda dobia: getting the most out of group work october 2012 designing effective group assessment...
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Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Designing effective group assessment tasks to maximise student engagement and
learning
Getting the most out of group work
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
I do not like group work.Group work might be necessary but I don't like it.Presentation should be individual, group work is
often difficult.Group work is pointless and too hard to organise.The group assignment was not a positive task.I would rather have a tutor go through topics
instead of group presentations.Reconsider group work assignment. I don't think
this is a fair way to assess individual ability.I don't get a group degree when I leave university.
So why should my degree hinge on a group?SFU comments – School of Education 2011
Oh no ... not group work!*!!
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Yet best things include... Group work, friends made.
E-learning through group work.
Active participation. Group activities.
Group activities allowed me to learn practically.
Working with the groups was positive and interactive.
Group work was fun.
The group presentations were great because they got everyone involved.
Group presentations - interesting way to learn.
SFU comments – School of Education 2011
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Benefits of cooperative learning
Motivation effects Cooperative learning has been found in a number of studies to increase
task motivation, self-esteem & self-efficacy It also seems to have a beneficial effect on attributional style: students
are more likely to attribute success to hard work and ability than to luck Cooperative learners spend more time on tasks
Achievement effects Increases of 10 to 25 percentile ranks have been reported Cooperative learning results in greater improvement in problem solving
skills relative to competitive or individual learning
Social effects Improved relationships amongst students of diverse
social and ethnic backgrounds Strong friendships formed Skills for cooperation
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Perceived inequityGetting pot luck with who is in a group does not reflect
equity when I have to do all the work.Group work is important but sometimes people lose a lot
of marks because of the people they were grouped with. It’s difficult for some group members to participate
equally and to the standards of the rest of the group.
Uneven collaborationGroup member contribution to assignments should be
monitored.Some members did not contribute so more
consequences / guidelines should be established.Structure – group work - how to enforce faire share.
SFU comments – School of Education 2011
So, what’s the problem?
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Poor communication/cooperation/respectRequires a lot of work which isn't reasonable when group
doesn't cooperate, treat each other with respect.
Inadequate structure/supportThe assignment is horrible when you have a dodgy group. Our
marks should not rely so much on what others do. I had a group issue and it was not addressed by the tutor at
all.
Lack of contact timePossibly more times for the group to meet to exchange ideas
and develop projects. This would also keep students on task. It was hard to try and make sure every person in the group
was able to meet at the same time.Group work was difficult with so little contact hours.
SFU comments – School of Education 2011
More difficulties
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
1. Positive interdependence – essential to cooperation = having a shared goal and feeling they will sink or swim together
2. Individual and group accountability - group is accountable for achieving its goals; individuals are accountable for doing their share of the work and for learning
3. Promotive interaction – members share resources and help, support, encourage and praise efforts to learn; face-to-face enables eye contact and full conversational engagement with each other
4. Social skills for working in groups – including effective communication, leadership, decision-making, trust-building, conflict-management.
5. Group processing opportunities – to evaluate how effectively the group is working together to achieve their goals
Johnson & Johnson
Criteria for working cooperatively
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Design purposefullyGroup task needs to be meaningful and coherentCooperative learning should add value and
manifestly enhance learning over individual capacity (positive interdependence)
Build group and individual accountability into assessment
Structure wellOptimal group size for task Process for group formationProvide coherent step-by-step guidelinesDevelop clear roles for individuals (individual
accountability)
Design for effective group work
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Increasingly, the need to develop sustainable ways of living that can reduce our ecological footprint and conserve precious natural resources for future generations is recognised as a critical concern of education at all levels.
Developing ‘sustainability literacy’ requires new ways of thinking and learning that enable us to recognise the connections between environmental concerns, social patterns and individual actions.
Education for Sustainability approaches key issues in sustainability education with a learner-centred approach that builds skills for inquiry, analysis and creative action.
It promotes personal and social change, develops civic values and empowers learners to be leaders for a sustainable future.
Setting: Education for sustainability
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Assignment 2: Due: October 26 or November 2
1. Groups investigate a community-level sustainability issue and develop an Action Plan for addressing it
2. Group presentation of 20 minutes
3. Individual reflection 1500 words (to be submitted on vUWS)
Marking criteria for group component:A relevant community sustainability issue is selected and
clearly outlined; A coherent and sound Action Plan is developed and
presentedGroup collaboration is effectively demonstrated.
Be sure to refer to learning guide for detailed guidelines and marking rubrics for group and individual components
Community sustainability action plan
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
what you
might do...
Imagine
Who,
me?
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever does.
(Margaret Meade)
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Together, might you ...
Set up a carpool?
Start a food garden?
Plan a festival?Eliminate waste?
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Will you help to...
... Or inspire others to be more, rather than have more?
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Group component - /20• A relevant community sustainability issue is selected and clearly
outlined; • A coherent and sound Action Plan is developed and presented ;• Group collaboration is effectively demonstrated.
Individual component of the group presentation - /15• A coherent understanding of sustainability issues associated with
your selected issue is demonstrated;• Application of relevant sustainability principles and concepts is
demonstrated in formulating and evaluating your action plan; • Communication and engagement with the audience is effective.
Individual reflection paper - /15• Clear and coherent reflection on specific learnings in this unit
incorporates reflection on readings and learning experiences, and makes links between what you have learned, how you have changed and the implications for your future practice as an educator;
• Competent expression, including clear arguments and appropriate academic referencing according to APA style.
Assessment criteria
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
3.Once you have confirmed the issue you wish to address, you will need to establish your project team and develop clear roles and responsibilities for each member of your group. You will need to determine the stakeholders and specific expertise required to enable you to effectively portray and address the issue you have selected. It is important that you represent the standpoints of different people associated with the issue.
For example, let’s say you have selected pollution at your local beach as your issue. Your team members might take up the perspectives of different stakeholders such as the following people:
a local council representative a residents action committee representative a local business representative a manager from the nearby industry whose effluent flows out to sea
nearby a member of the local beach patrol
Each team member will have a specific constituency and point of view.
Step-by-step guidelines
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Assignment 2: Team roles, responsibilities and tasksteam member constituency
(stakeholder perspective you will represent)
expertise (the particular kind of information you will need to find out to represent this perspective)
responsible for tasks
Allocate roles4.Each group member is required to take on a different role
within the team. In this way each individual will have responsibility for gathering specialised knowledge needed to enable you to work together and come up with a viable plan of action. Use the role and task sheet provided on vUWS to establish and guide your teamwork.
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Scaffold and facilitateProvide examplesPrime for cooperationEstablish ground rules (group accountability)Emphasise sharing of information – vUWS toolsFacilitate recursive inquiry processSupport group problem solving
Model effective group processesCue formative and summative group reflection Be ready to troubleshoot but avoid taking sides!!Encourage acceptance of diversity; inclusive practicesProvide clear but gentle prompts where necessary to
encourage shared participation
Support for group learning
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Education for Sustainability SFUs 2012.1 best aspects: Group assessments.
The group assignment was enjoyable.
Group work, freedom to be creative with assignments.
The group work was the highlight of this for me, I found it easier to learn the value of sustainability through my presentation.
The open feel of the course enabled me to feel confident to express my concerns and have positive interaction with others within the unit.
The assessments were engaging and interesting, I enjoyed working on the assessments as they were hands on.
The group assignments. Proposing an action plan into consideration and now me and my group are going through with our action plan and hopefully it will be a success.
Celebrate the process
Brenda Dobia: Getting the most out of group work October 2012
Cooperative Learning Institute
www.co-operation.org
Jigsaw Classroom www.jigsaw.org/
Johnson, D. H. & Johnson, F. P. (2012). Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills (11th ed). USA: Pearson International
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