Group Assignment
This page describes an implementation of an assessment method by a lecturer or group of lecturers. The content of the page is the result of an interview conducted through the RAFT project in DIT in the 2013-14 Academic Year.
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Lecturer and Contact Details
Programme and year on which assessment was offered
- BSc Computing, Year 2
Description
Groups of 4-5 students are given a topic. They must identify a product and research and design it.
What have you found are the advantages of using this form of assessment?
- Students are given assignment in stages so are not overwhelmed
- Students learn from each other
- Students utilise soft skills – organisation, report-writing and presentation
What have you found are the dis-advantages of using this form of assessment?
- Requires extensive amount of work prior and during assignments
- Groups are not always cohesive
- Groups need to be monitored closely
Alternatives
Individual assignment using a case study
Assessment in Practice
Suitable for group work. Organisation becomes more difficult as class sizes increase though classes up to 100 students have been catered for previously. However, it is more effective up to 60 students max.
Assessment Time
- Preparation time – significant and may adjust according to how the students are coping with the assignment
- Student time to complete – 3 weeks, with assignment given out in 3 stages
- Marking time
- Ease of Feedback – significant feedback through monitoring throughout assignment, feedback when presented at end and written group feedback with results.
