8 Compare strategies for evaluating team projects
For reflection
- Why might students perceive grades from group projects as unfair? What strategies might mitigate this issue?
Reflecting back on the objectives of your project, consider whether you want to assess:
- individual or group contributions
- product and/or process. The relative weight given to produce and process will correspond to the learning outcomes you are measuring with the assignment.
Assessing group process/ teamwork skills
UNSW Sydney (2018) outline a list of process skills that may be considered in assessment:
- ability to arrive at consensus
- ability to manage and resolve difficulties
- effectiveness in project management (e.g. timelines and milestones)
- effectiveness in giving and accepting support and advice
- commitment to group processes (e.g. participating, taking responsibility)
- extent of contribution (e.g. gathering and researching information, preparing written reflections)
- quality of contribution (e.g. applying higher order critical evaluation and problem solving skills).
These can be assessed through team logs, journals, or peer assessment checklists/rubrics.
Options for distributing group work marks
| Options for assessing the product of group assignments |
|
| Type of mark | This mark may be based on… |
| Shared group mark | This strategy may apply when a group submits a single product (e.g. oral presentation, written report) as the product of their group assignment. With this strategy, the product is graded as a whole, and individual contributions are not assessed. The strategy may encourage collaboration, but disadvantage strong students and allow for social loafing. |
| Individual mark | Students receive an individual mark based on their contribution to a group project, OR students produce an individual product as the outcome of their group work. This strategy can be motivating to students if they perceive they are being fairly rewarded for their contributions. However, the strategy can discourage collaboration. If the task has a shared product, it can be difficult to distribute work equally to all students in the group. |
| Combination of group average and individual mark | The group product is marked, but the marks are adjusted based on individual contributions to the project (as assessed by the instructor, or as reflected in team logs, reflective journals, or peer assessments). The group is awarded a single mark, which is then adjusted for each member based on contributions. This approach can be perceived as equitable by students, but may create conflict if peer assessments are not perceived as fair. |
| Options for assessing the process of group assignments | |
| Individual mark (adjusted from group average) | This strategy assesses the group process as a whole, then adjusting marks to account for individual contributions (rewarding strong contributors, while lowering grades for weak contributions). This strategy requires the use of evidence from direct observation, group logs, and reflective journals on the team process. |
| Group average mark | This strategy assigns a single mark to the group for their group process, as reflected in observations, group logs, and reflective journals. This strategy can encourage strong collaboration and commitment to a strong group process, but can disadvantage stronger contributors. |
| Individual mark | Students are assigned a mark based on a separate assignment (e.g. a reflective paper) on the group process, that includes information on their own contribution and that of their team members. |
Table adapted from: UNSW Sydney. (2018, December 14). Assessing by Group Work. Teaching. https://teaching.unsw.edu.au/assessing-group-work
References
Crebert, G., Patrick, C.-J., Cragnolini, V., Smith, C., Worsfold, K., & Webb, F. (2011). Teamwork skills toolkit. Griffith University.
UNSW Sydney. (2018, December 14). Assessing by Group Work. Teaching. https://teaching.unsw.edu.au/assessing-group-work
