Blog Post Module 3
Assessment in a collaborative environment cannot be assessed the same as when the product of the learning is individual. George Siemens provides in the vodcast “Assessment of Collaborative Learning” the following modes of assessment for collaborative learning: peer assessment, feedback from an open online community, educator assessment of students’ contributions, and metrics from learning management systems. Peer assessment can be helpful to promote understanding because the peers who are assessing one another and learning both from their own assignments as well have having to think critically (not harshly) to help others to glean the greatest understanding possible for the assignment. Open online communities allow for the students to receive comments and feedback from people of varying walks of life. These comments may be from experts in the field to a novice who is just getting their feet wet. Of course there always has to be some sort of educator assessment of students’ contributions in the course. Educators must have guidelines of minimum posts to discussion boards, wikis, blogs, and assignments that are sent directly to the professor. Lastly, there must be a way to measure how the time on task for each student. I always like to look at how many hours I log into the Walden site. This is not the only time that I work on assignments but it is a good indicator to the educator of your participation.
Students whether f2f or DE bring with them varying levels of knowledge and skill. Educators must broaden the way they assess (Siemens, n.d.) They must do more that tabulate grades on tests and assignments. Siemens believes that educators should look at the growth of individual students and compare his/her growth to the rest of the class. This is easier said than done. Lastly, Siemens ( n.d.) encourages authentic performance based context assessment. Educators should have projects that provide the students a way to showcase their knowledge and growth in the course. Assessments in themselves can then become a teaching based activity. (Siemens, n.d.)
In Siemens (n.d) vodcast, “Learning Communities, ” he discusses his views on building solid learning communities that will encourage even the most reluctant students. Many students have huge reservations about online classes let alone having to communicate with people they will likely never meet in person. It takes blind faith that the people in the cyberspace will be attentive to the feelings as they would in a f2f environment. We all know that if there is not trust and honesty even the most outgoing individual will become reserved in an online environment. Siemens has noticed that some of the brightest students in the class are those who are the most reluctant to participate due to a uncomfortable feeling of giving up control to others in a group or feeling that they might not be able to retain their sense of self in a collaborative setting. Members of the learning community should do their best to respond with feedback that will stimulate further discussion. “Good Job” is rarely an appropriate response to posts. Peers should also try to keep an eye on the class café for that is where you can “get to know” the others in the class. This will help build a sense of community. Educators can provide role play in a high functioning learning community. Often times when the roles are revered and the students become the teachers and the teachers facilitate, the most growth is experienced. Educators need to provide practical practice so that the reluctant student can become more and more comfortable with online communities. If after a reluctant student’s peers and professors have done all they could humanly do to encourage participation in the course, the student will likely see it reflect in his/her grades. It would only be fair to the rest of the students who are meeting all the requirements and often times stepping out of their own comfort zones. DE is NOT for everyone. If a students finds is very difficult to remain a vital member of the learning community of the course, he/she may need to look for alternative modes of higher education that do not require as much collaborative work.
Siemens, G. (n.d.) Assessment of collaborative learning, [Vodcast], Retrieved from
http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4007780&Survey=1
47=4338460&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
Siemens, G. (n.d.) Learning communities, [Vodcast], Retrieved from
http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4007780&Survey=147=4338460&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1
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Tabitha,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a very interesting point in saying that staying in control, or true to what we are is important in online collaborations. I think it is very valid, more so when I have been getting accustomed to being pleased with online collaboration regardless of the outcome. The first experiences I had were a bit disappointing. I was very insistent on doing things in a particular way, thinking that it was better. Lately I have come to accept things because the rest agree and I see no point in insisting, even though I am convinced that things would have been better if done differently. This makes me lose interest in projects and not put forth the same effort I would if the level of work had been higher.
It is important to work collaboratively, and to pay attention to what all members have to say about how the work is done. I have much to learn but what I know I do well, and so do others. Faced with collaboration I like finding in groups members who can make informed decisions not on how easy a tool might be but on how effective it will end up being to the proposed purpose.