I usually find my students preferring to have group assignments with larger percentage of marks than any other form of evaluation. I am not happy with this because it is not only difficult to determine the contribution of every group member objectively but also is not easy to assess the understanding of every student on the subject. What do you say? What are your experiences?
Generally, we have to evaluate all the learning aspects of the studnet, especially the cognitive and experiential aspects of learning. Moreover we should connect students' evalution with his/her life experiences.
I completely agree. One strategy I use to understand a student's comprehension is to employ a myriad of assessments--individual, group--in different formats--in-class exercises, written portions, quizzes, exams. In the past, students have performed differently on each one (e.g., some students do group work well and then write the essay poorly); and usually, at the end of the semester, my grades represent a normal distribution, which is data for me that the assessments are capturing a variable range of "typical" abilities.
Second, in group work, I always use peer assessments. I like the format used in team-based learning.
http://www.teambasedlearning.org/
I would agree with both Abd and Eva. It is important to evaluate the entire student. Too often, we focus on examinations as measurements of learning. However, an examination is only a record of a moment. I think a bigger issue is the idea of grading. Formative assessments, those intended to gauge progress, should be without pressure or penalty. As an instructor, it is important to get a general feel of the class. Where are they in their understanding of the information? Where are they lacking?
When assessments become overly weighted, they become the focus of the students' world. Education becomes about assessments and not critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, and knowledge. Information isn't necessarily learned for the purpose how it is used or applied, but how it can be studied for a test. In addition, there is a certain absurdity to the notion that 4 weeks, 6 weeks,, 8 weeks, 16 weeks of information can be effectively assessed in an hour or two.
Therefore, it is my argument that evaluation is an on going process. Grades can go up, go down, can be remediated, can be re-evaluated once a student has show more competency. Evaluation should be a fluid process that takes into consideration starting points, ending points, inspirations and failures.
Perhaps this answer is not what you are looking for, but I am interested in keeping the discussion alive.
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