Effectiveness of Group Work in the Colleges of Royal University of Bhutan (original) (raw)
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The Significance of Group Work in the Assessment of Students in Higher Education: A
The fundamental aim of this paper is to evaluate the use and significance of group work in higher education, since group work is seen now as an efficient approach to teaching and learning through working as a group including assessment. Therefore, the Department of Economics at the University of Dundee felt that trying alternative assessment approaches such as group work was crucial, as it was deemed necessary to introduce it into the Masters Degree in International business, which comprises students from all over the world with different cultural backgrounds and experiences. To achieve this, questionnaires were used as a means of collecting data, the reason being that they are reliable, unambiguous, uniformly workable, and easy to administer, cheap and fast among other factors. Furthermore, Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) was used to analyse the data. The results show that working in groups was seen as a way of training postgraduate students to capitalise on one another's resources and skills by asking one another for information, evaluating one another's ideas and monitoring one another's work, as well as teaching them that everyone succeeds when the group succeeds, both at the university and at work. In addition, group work was supported overwhelmingly by the whole department, lecturers and students alike, because it was seen as a way of team building, as well as being relatively inexpensive and not time-consuming given the current economic situation
To make the unknown known : assessment in group work amongst students
2016
When group work is used as pedagogical practice in compulsory schools, teachers are expected to assess each student’s individual knowledge even if learning has been gained in interaction with other students. This can be particularly challenge for teachers, i.e., the dilemma of reconciling the demands for individual assessment while fulfilling the demand to teach cooperation abilities through group work. Earlier studies concerning group work as classroom activity (Forslund Frykedal & Hammar Chiriac, 2010, 2011; Hammar Chiriac & Forslund Frykedal, 2011) reveal that assessment is a highly relevant but challenging factor when organising group work in educational settings. To our knowledge, assessment in group work is a rather neglected research area with very little attention being paid to research about this phenomenon. Previous research therefore provides little theoretical knowledge or useful tools to assist teachers in resolving these apparently conflicting demands. The main focus i...
Abstract The fundamental aim of this paper is to evaluate the use and significance of group work in higher education, since group work is seen now as an efficient approach to teaching and learning through working as a group including assessment. Therefore, the Department of Economics at the University of Dundee felt that trying alternative assessment approaches such as group work was crucial, as it was deemed necessary to introduce it into the Masters Degree in International business, which comprises students from all over the world with different cultural backgrounds and experiences. To achieve this, questionnaires were used as a means of collecting data, the reason being that they are reliable, unambiguous, uniformly workable, and easy to administer, cheap and fast among other factors. Furthermore, Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) was used to analyse the data. The results show that working in groups was seen as a way of training postgraduate students to capitalise on one another’s resources and skills by asking one another for information, evaluating one another’s ideas and monitoring one another’s work, as well as teaching them that everyone succeeds when the group succeeds, both at the university and at work. In addition, group work was supported overwhelmingly by the whole department, lecturers and students alike, because it was seen as a way of team building, as well as being relatively inexpensive and not time-consuming given the current economic situation in United Kingdom. In conclusion, graduates with strong team-working skills are valued highly by employers, which benefit our programme by establishing for a good reputation within the industry. Keywords: higher education, group work, Munyoro, G, time consuming, collaboration, team building, effectiveness, critical thinking, assessment, resources, Lecturer, Student
Assessing the Efficacy of Group Work Using a Group Work Assessment Framework
Bhutan Journal of Research and Development
Group work as a learning activity in education is to enhance students’ content knowledge and develop social skills. The minimal individual and group accountability has often led to only a few students working towards achieving the group goals. Research has suggested taking care of the task design and assessment to achieve the efficacy of group work. Towards this, a Group Work Assessment Framework (GAF) is proposed. The GAF consists of a detailed roadmap of planning, implementation, and assessment taking into account the task design and assessment with specific guidelines for teachers and students. A participatory design to develop and implement the GAF was applied. Six tutors as designers and 11 tutors as implementors were involved. A total of 221 students and 8 tutors participated in the survey and interviews. The findings indicate that GAF enhanced individual and group accountability. The assessment of the group work was found to be fair as each student was marked based on his/her...
Proceedings of Higher …, 2005
Group-based or cooperative learning can benefi t individual student learning, however, recent verbal feedback from students at Sydney University about group work was disappointingly negative. Th is feedback prompted the present study, which set out to determine the attitudes of students to group work and group assessment. Students in Pharmacology (n = 46) and IT (n = 80) were evaluated at the beginning and end of semester two (2003) using the following questionnaires: Feelings Towards Group Work (FTGW; Cantwell and Andrews, 2002) and either, Attitudes Towards Peer Evaluation (ATPE) or Attitudes Towards Group Work Assessment (ATGA). Th ese latter two questionnaires were developed for this study. Th e two disciplines were chosen as their group work was assessed diff erently and it was of interest to determine whether the diff ering methods of assessment aff ected students' attitudes. At the start of semester all students indicated a neutral to slightly negative attitude towards individual work but a favourable attitude towards group work. A signifi cant but small change in favour of group work was found for Pharmacology students whereas we found no change in attitude for the IT students. Interestingly, we found no particular preference for group assessment that used peer evaluation to obtain individual marks to one that was based on a shared group mark. In conclusion, despite concerns expressed in a recent University of Sydney Academic Board Review about group work and its assessment, this study reinforces the fi ndings of previous research into group work suggesting that the experience is generally positive for students.
Assessment of students' learning when working in groups
Educational Research, 2011
The overarching interest in this project is to gain knowledge about what happens in the meeting between group work and assessment in pedagogical practice. Grounded theory methodology, was used as methodology and data have been gathered by focus group interviews with 11 teachers teaching students aged 11 to 16 years. The results show that teachers primarily used informal approaches, a general language and the descriptions about what they assessed and how assessment was carried out. This article elucidates some of the teachers' problems concerning assessment in group work and some pedagogical implications based on empirical findings. Background: The overarching interest in this project is to gain knowledge about what happens in the meeting between group work and assessment in pedagogical practice. There seems to be a tension between the demand for individual assessment of students' knowledge and abilities and the demand to teach students collaboration abilities through group work. A previous study concerning teachers' management of group work as a classroom activity (Hammar Chiriac & Forslund Frykedal, 2011) reveals that assessment is a highly relevant factor. In addition, teachers seem to experience difficulties and acknowledge some challenges and problems as regards assessing students working in a group. Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to obtain not only increased knowledge of how teachers assess individual learning occurring in group work, but also explore how teachers manage the emerging challenges. An additional purpose was, with support from previous research within the area, to provide a means of handling these challenges.
How to teach using group assignments: the 7 step formula for fair and effective team assessment
How to teach using group assignments: the 7 step formula for fair and effective team assessment, 2020
The benefits of collaborative learning have long been asserted. Group assignments have been deployed by teachers in higher education to realise several benefits such as enabling students to undertake more demanding academic challenges. However, there is debate about the validity and fairness of group assignments. Furthermore, educational and professional accreditation agencies increasingly view academic grades determined from group assignments with suspicion. Does this student deserve the academic qualification they have been awarded when a significant proportion of their academic credit has arisen from group work? What level of teamwork capabilities has this graduate actually demonstrated? Meanwhile, students often loathe the experience and prospect of group assignments. Fair-minded students wonder why the freeloaders and bullies in their team should get the same academic grade. Ambitious students wonder if they will receive recognition for the extra effort and leadership they have contributed. Perhaps they should prioritise their efforts elsewhere? Other students wonder how they could improve both their own and their teammates’ contribution to the teamwork and leadership processes required for success. Teacher assign students to groups and hope that their students will develop the teamwork capabilities students need for academic and professional success. To respond to these challenges teammate peer assessment is becoming recognized as contributing to fairer academic results and more valid assessments. Furthermore, when combined with timely peer feedback, students working on group assignments can adapt their behaviour to deliver better contributions and achieve better academic results for both their team and themself. Students also learn and demonstrate measured capabilities in teamwork, leadership, communication and project management that are valued by the workplace and professions, improve their success in future academic group assignments, and better prepare themselves for leadership roles within the fourth industrial revolution. This book is intended as a practical handbook and reference guide for - Teachers who wish to improve the validity and fairness of the group assignments they currently use with their students - Teachers who wish to introduce or redesign their group assignments in a manner that maximises the many benefits for students that can emerge from such assignments - Teachers who use contemporary teaching methods such as team-based learning and the flipped classroom who wish to improve their processes of teammate peer assessment and feedback - Teaching and learning advisors who wish to understand the factors relevant to supporting teachers in their use of group assignments and peer assessment - Programme and academic directors concerned with establishing academic policy for student group work and peer assessment. - Teaching and learning technologists who wish to understand the factors relevant to the implementation of digital platforms that support teachers’ and students’ adoption of teammate peer assessment - Institutional researchers who wish to use the results of teammate peer assessments in their institution to analyse issues such as student success, retention and failure
Research on the assessment of individual contributions to groupwork
Games: Virtual Words and Reality, Proceedings of the 39th Conference International Simulation and Gaming Association. Kaunas. Lituania. ISBN 978-9955-25-532-1. pp-179-187., 2008
Traditionally, educational approaches have paid more attention to individual work than to group work such as that found in simulations. However, group work is today considered more effective for promoting student learning and retention than traditional methods. Those who are involved in research in gaming and simulation find problems in the criteria to be used in assessing: group? individuals?; and in getting every participant equally involved in the simulation. In this paper we report on the outcomes of our research on active learning based on group work with a game format in a university environment in which students play the role of tutors and get collaboratively involved in the production of teaching materials in support of class learning objectives. As part of an ongoing study first presented at ISAGA’07, the paper aims to analyze the process and the students’ individual contribution to group work. To promote student participation in meeting the task objectives and to overcome the problems of unequal participation or “free riders”, self and peer assessment have been used. Assessment should support equity principles and the criteria and standards by which performance is to be judged should be made clear to students from the outset. For this reason, problems regarding fairness in self and peer assessment will be discussed with the participants at the session. Results obtained show that if students are personally involved in the teaching process, motivation is higher and learning is more successful. The study identifies salient issues of constructing effective contributions to group work, facilitating the group’s ability to regulate group processes and participation.