The evaluation of collaborative online work poses complications that can be mitigated by clear communication of goals and objectives. Palloff & Pratt (2007) state that, “involvement in collaborative activity creates a learner-centered focus that calls for learner-centered assessment, meaning that the student becomes the main resource for and source of assessment information” (p. 53). With the center of focus being placed on the student, the stage is set for students taking responsibility for their learning.
The first step to any successful collaboration is communication. Assessment of any type of project becomes meaningful when learners can reflect on their work and assess their own growth. Objectives, criteria, and tasks should be outlined and project expectations including essential information must be communicated. This includes scheduling requirements, technological support and being made aware of communication options with the instructor and other students. With these spelled out the instructor can determine assessment protocol and rubrics. These tools should be easily accessible to students. Students can become familiar with how their projects will be assessed including the specific assessment tools.
“The learner-centered environment is widely accepted as the optimal educational paradigm. This paradigm implies that the student themselves are the primary learning resource” (Byers, as stated in Palloff & Pratt, 2007, p. 53). As the focus of the educational leader shifts from teacher to student, unwilling participation becomes self-sabotage. A teacher's role turns into that of a motivator and facilitator, encouraging students to work to their potential. Highly motivated students can be challenged further while instructor and classmates can lend support to less than motivated students.
Assessment that is not based on a well developed foundation of goals, objectives and expected learning outcomes may fall short of the desired results. It is the supportive and collaborative partnership between instructor and student that will ensure meaningful assessment of stated objectives.
References:
Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating Online: Learning together in community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Siemens, G. (Speaker). (2008). Assessment of collaborative learning (Transcript of Video Program). Laureate Education, Inc.
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3 comments:
I agree completely with your focus on communication being one of the primary keys to building successful collaboration. Moreover, it has to take many forms in eLearning to be effective. Clear rubrics, syllabi, assessment methods, and class and team charters are invaluable tools in this effort. Also, your focus on starting with a well-developed foundation of goals and objectives is close to my heart. I am a strong believer in Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide to create measureable, higher-order learning objectives that scaffold toward the final course and program outcomes.
Your paragraph on the learner-centered environment inspired a question. In your last sentence, you emphasize one of the benefits of this model being the flexibility to address multiple learning levels within the same community. From the perspective of someone who is in the midst of implementing an online program at an institution that has never-before had one, how do you see the learner-centered model lending “support to less than motivated students?” Is it because they are more connected with each other? Does the sense of community inherently provide that support?
I think maybe it would if it was strong enough.
The learner-centered model provides a constructivist emphasis on learning. Brown and Green (2006) state, "learner-centered environments give careful attention to the skills, knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes that learners bring to an instructional situation” (p. 180). In designing such a learning environment the instructor gleans information about how the learners relate to the content and their perceived ideas to create a community in which the learners generate new perceptions of the content (Brown & Green, p. 180). In supporting the less than motivated student, this model can then carefully consider the instructional needs of its students. As the community develops we recognize what it takes to motivate students. Some may need small group or team work while others may need a few positive words from the instructor to get them started. Often just feeling supported is enough to motivate a student to perform.
Reference:
Brown, A., & Green, T. (2006). The Essentials of Instructional Design: Connecting Fundamental Principles with Process and Practice. New Jersey: Pearson
Thanks, I think I now have yet another text to buy!
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