Module #3-Assessing Collaborative Learning

"Effective classroom assessment: is learner-centered, teacher-directed, mutually beneficial, formative, context-specific, ongoing, and firmly rooted in good practice" (Palloff & Pratt, 2005, chap. 4). Assessing collaborative learning seems like it would be an easy task for an online learning community professor, but it can be a challenge. There are numerous ways to assess collaborative learning. One fair assessment is to have a self assessment. The professor would be able to obtain feedback from the student to see how they feel about the product that they are producing in the course. Giving students a grading scale rubric is a great way for the group to do a fair assessment of the members. Members of a group may notice that a group member is not participating, they then need to notify the professor. It is not fair to a collaborative learning community to have one member not participating. The group members need to ask that person questions to make sure that they have a good understanding of what is expected of them in the class. They may not understand what is expected of them.

Reference:

Palloff, R. and Pratt, K. (2005). Collaboration online learning together in community. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.