Assessing Collaborative Efforts

In an online learning community, instructors must have the pedagogy and skills in managing and facilitating this environment where the learners are able to actively engage in the learning process of making meaning and constructing knowledge that is meaningful to them.  The use of collaboration is essential in accomplishing this. Palloff and Pratt (2005) maintain that collaboration is the hallmark of constructivism, and "the heart and soul" of the online learning environment.  Through collaboration in a virtual environment, the student has the opportunity to actively engage in collaborative work with a group of peers that will deepen his or her own knowledge and understanding, and  enhance critical thinking skills that are essential for today's globalized economy and 21st century society.  Critical thinking skills are easier to enhance through one's participation in collaboration, than it is to try and master individually (2005).  Hurst and Thomas stated that "computer-mediated learning interactions are superior to those in face-to-face classes...." (Palloff and Pratt, 2005).  The questions that are critical to examine in-depth regarding collaborative work in an online environment are how should it be assessed, and how should online collaboration be assessed fairly and equitably given the varying levels of skill and knowledge students bring to the course?

Siemens (Laureate, Inc., 2008a) informs that the major challenge that teachers often face on both online and in face-to-face environments is how to adequately assess collaboration fairly and equitably.  He suggests four models for assessment in a collaborative environment that suggest that assessment should be not only instructor-centered, but also student-centered:  (1) students assess their peers, (2) students receive direct feedback from online communities and during collaborative interactions, (3) educators assess based on individual student contributions, and (4) educators assess based on learning management system.  Palloff and Pratt (2005) also encourage learner-centered assessment practices, which should also include a form of self-assessment and reflection.  For example, rubrics may be used in assessing collaborative work that consists of authentic and holistic tasks.  These rubrics should be linked, however, to the course expectations and learning objectives so that students may use them for assessment of their own individual performance and used to provide genuine feedback on the performance of their team as they work collaboratively.  As cited in Paloff and Pratt (2005), Byers states, "The learner-centered environment is widely accepted as the optimum educational paradigm.  This paradigm implies that the students themselves are the primary learning resource," p. 53.  

By including students in the assessment process through the use of rubrics, self-reflection, and providing feedback to their peers empowers them to actively engage in the learning process, which encourages them to personalize their own learning experiences.  Paloff and Pratt (2005) state that the more engaged that students are in working with one another in online collaboration and the process of assessment, the more meaningful the online course will be to them.  In terms of providing an optimal learning experience for students online, constructivism and collaboration are key:

"The more meaningful the course, the more likely it is that they will become empowered and lifelong learners.  Such is the ultimate goal of a constructivist, online classroom that relies on collaboration to engage students in meaning-making and knowledge acquisition, as such is the ultimate value of building strong online learning community,"  (Palloff and Pratt, 2005, p. 53).

To engage students that are reluctant in participating collaboratively with their team, instructors should consider including alternative forms of assessments.  For instance, have students use wikis to construct portfolios of their own work and individual contributions on collaborative tasks.  He encourages instructors to include their individual portfolios as part of their overall assessment which will highlight students's individual contributions that they have made in the class, and students will be able to share them with prospective employers to demonstrate knowledge and skill set. Siemens (Laureate, Inc., 2008b) contends that students are generally hesitant in participating in collaborative work because the educational system has been based on an individual model where students are used to being praised for their own work and individual efforts for so long; and therefore find it difficult to participate in a collective and collaborative learning environment which is a reflection of today's connected society and the age in which we live. He suggests that the use of blogs and wikis will allow individual students the opportunity to still be able to share their own individual ideas and express their own voice that is separate from the group.  

Additional blogs that I have commented on this topic:

http://sportz75.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/70/comment-page-1/#comment-31

http://brandyhiett.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/module-3-assessing-collaborative-efforts-in-the-online-learning-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-5

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008a). Assessment of collaborative learning. Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008b).  Learning communities. Principles of Distance Education. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.