Feedback and Change: Assessment of Individual Contributions Within Collaborative Activities in the Higher Education Classroom

Authors

  • Spiro E. Stefanou Pennsylvania State University Author
  • Lamartine F. Hood Pennsylvania State University Author
  • Candice R. Stefanou Bucknell University Author

Abstract

The integration of team-based learning and credible assessment of its outcomes continues to be a challenge for educators. While peer assessment is often recommended as a strategy for assessing teams, students are sometimes reluctant to offer feedback on their peers' efforts because they lack the confidence they can do so in a valid manner. Likewise, instructors may be hesitant to request student input because of students' inexperience with making judgments of this sort. The authors argue that a peer assessment approach, which minimizes the risk of inaccurate feedback and yet allows students to contribute actively to a measure of individual accountability, is the solution. Required course activities that necessitate the use of teams can promote the competencies of working within groups and of being self-regulated learners (Zimmerman, 1986, 1989; Zimmerman & Martinez-Pons, 1988). The authors focus on the practical aspects of assessing student contributions to team performance and provide preliminary data suggesting that students use peer feedback to adjust their team behavior accordingly.

Published

2024-03-22