Subjective+Grading


 * FAQ’s for Grading in a Collaborative Online World **

Challenges will occur with parent or administration "buy-in" to online student collaboration. One such issue is subjective grading. Both parents and administrators will have similar questions and then there will be concerns unique to each group as well. Grading is always a daunting task. This is compounded when it is for a collaborative project. Then when that collaboration is online it becomes even more difficult to grade and explain to students, parents and administrators how the assessment will work. Clarity, communication and a sense of value for the group collaborative community all play an important part in the subjectivity of the assessments. What kind of collaboration work will be graded? ** What is consistent across the varieties of online collaboration is that collaborative learning will be more successful when it is valued, and that any assessment should begin with a very specific understanding of desired learning. This will help alleviate some subjectivity. In some collaboration activities, learning to collaborate is seen as: · an important part of what is to be learned · merely a means to an end · is focused on producing a group project · designed to improve the quality of individual work Therefore, at the outset, the purpose needs to be set and clearly communicated to the students. Then a grading system for the learning can be determined and implemented based on this purpose. If the primary learning is a science concept, then the collaborative learning takes a back seat; consequently its assessment will look different and will be a smaller part in a larger assessment. How will the collaboration effort itself be assessed? ** Both individual and group learning will be assessed. According to some experts in the field, the key to successful cooperative/collaborative learning is maintaining both individual accountability, in which students are held responsible for their own learning, and positive interdependence, in which students reach their goals if and only if the other students in the learning group also reach theirs. These skills will be valued in the workplace later on also. In fact they will be evaluated on them by co-workers and supervisors too.
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The teacher would give a grade for the group's work. The students would provide a grade for their own effort. All students would grade the performance of the other students in their groups. The final grade would be equally based on all three components. The last point might address the students' concerns that someone might not put forward the appropriate degree of effort. What would be used for grading? ** How would the students assess the collaboration effort? ** Students would follow a rubric when they assess themselves and each other. For example, if a rubric with 3, 2, 1 and 0 points was implemented students would assign a 3 to themselves according to the criteria for meeting a 3. Why should the students assess each other on the collaboration effort? ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text1;">In some cases students might just give everyone a good grade. But sometimes students are frustrated by a non-productive effort from another student. Therefore it is worthwhile to grade each other on participation, effort and product to ensure that they are all working. Why should the students assess themselves in the collaboration effort? ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text1;">Since a central purpose of collaborative learning is to help students become independent, self-directed learners, then a worthwhile instructional goal is to help them develop a capacity for self-evaluation and modification. We have chosen to learn and demonstrate the “Habits of Mind” in our school community. Helping the students become self-directed learners is at the core of this endeavor. Online collaboration fits nicely with the focus of the habits. It is a vehicle for students to learn, communicate clearly, be persistent, self-evaluate, self- modify and demonstrate wonderment and awe, to name a few.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text1;">Who will assess the collaboration effort? **
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 * //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text1;">RUBRICS //**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-themecolor: text1;"> would be developed that assigned very clear definitions so everyone (teachers, students, parents, etc) could reference them so they know what is expected and what is being assessed for a grade. The rubrics will be based on the desired learning outcome and content area of the class. That is why it is important to be specific about the role that the collaboration plays in the assignment.
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