Evaluating individual contributions to a group project
As an Instructor, I find group projects particularly difficult. Many times, one or two students within the group take on a majority, if not all of the work. How do we assess the comprehension & contribution of individual students? Assigning a single grade for each of the group members does not seem fair nor is it reflective of individual student ability. Will mandatory chat sessions resolve this issue? Is that enough?
Belinda:
I do not believe mandatory Chat sessions will enhance or promote participation in group projects. There are two measures you can take to assess the comprehension and contribution of individual students.
1. In a group project, require individual students to submit their individual contributions to you for grading.
2. In additiomn to 1 in the above, assign individual projects that have to be submitted for grading.
Satrohan
Yes, I think mandatory chat session will resolve this issue. The instructor can assess and evaluate each student's participation and assign grade accordingly.
Fatmata:
Mandatory Chat sessions will be successful to the degree that your students are able to participate as per their scheduled times.
Satrohan
Another way could be to ask each member of the group to evaluate each other for their contributions to the group proyect.
Fernando:
Some Instructors adopt this strategy; however, they do not place high emphasis on these ratings when they assign the final grade. In my opinion, Instructors must exercise and place emphasis on their own judgment based on measureable and objective criteria when they assess the contributions of individual students who participate in Group Projects.
Students can be required to submit their own contributions to the project for the Instructor to review. The Instructor may choose to assign points to their contributions-----points that contribute to the final grade. The Instructor can also assign a Grade for the entire project---all members of the group receive that grade. The student's final grade for the project will be a combination of his or her grade for individual contribution plus the grade assigned to the group.
Satrohan
I routinely have students evaluate themselves and others in their group on-ground. It's an excellent way to measure individual performance for group projects. Their individual contribution is then factored into the project grade. I'm not aware of any reason it would not work in the e-learning environment.
Denise:
You're quite correct in your judgment; peer evaluation as well as group evaluation can both be accomplished in an online environment.
Satrohan
I agree, with my experience, managing group is a very important, many things can happen within the group. In my experiences, students many times feud, do not participate, turn in sloppy work, just to name a few.
Instructors need to provide guidance in working in groups. In my classes I welcome everyone into their small groups and request that everyone get acquainted and begin the group project.
With my experiences with teams, I evaluate by their participation and effort and grade individually. Working in a team pushes students to speak with each other on a daily basis via discussion board. Students have to work closely in constructing the project.
Kevin:
In addition to what you have already been doing, providing ground rules for managing the group dynamics will also help; so whould rules governing online communication.
Satrohan
Kevin:
If you can achieve this level of evaluation, all the better. Students will feel that they are evaluated for their individual contributions and that their grade will not suffer because if any group member slacks off.
Satrohan
My guideline with students is that they need to participate with each other in the group and stay focused on the project. I expect a different student to take the lead in each unit and project. I try to keep my distance so the students can start interacting with each other first. If the group has not started, I will select a team leader and will motivate the students.
Kevin:
This is a good approach to promote participation. Question for you.
Besides rotating group leaders, do you provide ground rules for participating in group projects?
Satrohan
Some ground rules I issue are:
I require all students to take the lead at least once in each unit
Require (X) amount of posts that are expected in each unit
Rough draft should be submitted for review
where to place the final document, what to title it, what to include, etc.
Kevin:
These are all useful information for stdents to know as by providing this kind of information, you are clearly setting the expectations. You may also want to consider sharing with students ground rules usually referred to as "Netiquette"
Satrohan
I have used this technique and found that the students are much more aggressive in taking their fellow team members to task than I might be. I have also found that it is better to have more than 1 student evaluation is needed to be fair.
Surfeine:
Please help me to provide a constructive response to your contribution by placing the more than one student evaluation into context. Thanks Surfeine.
Satrohan
I do not know what is not fair about giving individual grades for participation and work submitted. Isn't that done in on ground classes?This is where group projects lose their meaning. If istructors give the same grade to all students in a group project, then the ones slacking get a grade they don't deserve even though the other students in the group will protect them. Instructors that feel sorry for students and grade accordingly need to find another profession.
Having said that, I don't mean you have to be harsh with students, rather you have to work with them and instill some sort of work ethic such that the degree is earned rather than given.
What you have suggested is the appropriate way to handle group project grading.
Good points - there are ways to manage group work that are fair and create the right incentives for everyone! - Jon
