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Four components to ensure the success
Four components to ensure the success
To ensure a successful learning process where assessment is an integrated part, four components are required:
To ensure a successful learning process where assessment is an integrated part, four components are required:
- Group goals
There must be group goals so that learners are working as a group, not just working in a group.
There must be group goals so that learners are working as a group, not just working in a group.
2. Individual accountability and learning growth
2. Individual accountability and learning growth
There must be individual accountability, so that individual learners cannot be carried along by the work of others. The team goals and achievements are based on individual learning growth.
There must be individual accountability, so that individual learners cannot be carried along by the work of others. The team goals and achievements are based on individual learning growth.
3. Dialogue and collaborative reasoning
3. Dialogue and collaborative reasoning
Collective construction of knowledge through dialogue and collaborative reasoning, exchanging opinions and reinforcing the ability to refocus problems, identify solutions, formulate, and defend opinions, accept criticism, and use it to improve the group results.
Collective construction of knowledge through dialogue and collaborative reasoning, exchanging opinions and reinforcing the ability to refocus problems, identify solutions, formulate, and defend opinions, accept criticism, and use it to improve the group results.
4. Collective construction of knowledge
4. Collective construction of knowledge
The assessment of cooperative learning is not equal to the sum of the individual assessments and needs to consider the collective construction of knowledge.
The assessment of cooperative learning is not equal to the sum of the individual assessments and needs to consider the collective construction of knowledge.
The assessment of the group could be divided in two strands; process and product.(Dobson, 2011) However summative assessment is not preferable when evaluating the group’s work and process, but the assessment can be done formatively (assessment for learning or as learning) and form part of the learning process itself.
When assessing learners, we should keep in mind ‘why do we assess?’ The work of the teacher is primarily assessment formative and summative, - alongside seeking to facilitate assessment as learning for- the learners when appropriate.
Prerequisites that should be present
Prerequisites that should be present
In order to make the interaction between cooperative learning and formative assessment the best possible, it is important to take on board the following:
In order to make the interaction between cooperative learning and formative assessment the best possible, it is important to take on board the following:
Learning intentions and criteria for success: this must include a process whereby teachers and learners clarify and share learning intentions and criteria for success.
Learners’ existing understanding: to involve the earners actively in the learning process, the teacher must start from the learners’ existing understanding, building on their own knowledge, connecting new ideas and experience to existing knowledge and experiences.
Learners’ must develop a sense of themselves as learners: the learners must be encouraged to develop a sense of themselves of who they are, understanding in particular their own purpose of learning and how they see it along with owning the learning that takes place.
Self-assessment and peer assessment: the learners can function as instructional resources for one another. They must be taught how to assess their own progress and that of peers’, in line with learning objectives and the criteria of the particular learning task. This is to ensure all learners have the same understanding of the assessment criteria being used-. Secondly, this is to ensure a shared understanding of what constitutes quality work and that feedback given to each other moves learning forward. Some modelling exercises can help, as it is most likely the case that learners must be taught how to collaborate and undertake peer assessment. Peer assessment can become a useful tool in helping learners’ develop their own capacity for objectivity, as well as their understanding of assessment criteria. (Black, 2003)
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