Developed to meet concerns over inequitable contribution to group-based assessment, this task sees students make individual contributions to a collective wiki (a website that multiple collaborators can remotely access) on a topic relating to the course content. Students are set a problem or question to which their group wiki must respond. In groups of 4-6 students work to form an overall response, delegate tasks and upload their contribution to a dedicated wiki page using the online platform Wikispaces. The completed entry should appear as a cohesive and integrated response to an overall problem, but also identifies each members' individual contribution (through colour-coded text, or dedicated sections for each group member). This technique has been previously successfully delivered using a group marking scheme (in ANTH1030, for example), however there is particular merit to offering individual marks for this task whilst allowing students to enjoy the benefits of group work in a collegiate environment. Group work is often reviled for the potential for some members to minimally contribute. This active and creative approach to group collaboration encourages students to work cooperatively, and affords individual students the opportunity to receive due credit for the quality of their individual contributions.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 100-500
- CLASS LEVEL
- First year, Second year
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- Medium security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Medium time
- GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES
- In-depth knowledge in the field(s) studied, Effective communication skills
- CONDITIONS
- Group
- TAGS
- collaborative learning
Advantages
Allows for student flexibility in collaboration via remote access to the online platform (Wikispaces) whilst tracking individual contribution. Fosters constructive communication and group work skills in a relaxed and collegiate environment. Removing the pressure of a group mark element often encourages a more earnest effort from students and builds positive rapport between students. Wikispaces is an online platform that lends well to a wide variety of disciplinary tasks in an easy to navigate interface. The option to integrate text, images, video and readily transfer to virtually all HaSS disciplines.
Challenges
Can include a significant marking load in large cohorts. Course coordinators should seek to employ tutors to assist with this process. Tutors are also well positioned to mark their own students as an additional means of informal identify verification that involves observing students' writing style and input in class activities.
Tips for implementation
Allow some dedicated class time for students to meet and work in their groups. This is also important to providing digital equity (access to computers and reliable internet access) for all students.
How it supports academic integrity
All works are easily processed via Turnitin. Working within a group dynamic also encourages students to work integrously as part of a shared accountability to respond adequately to the task.
Dr Peter Walters
p.walters@uq.edu.au
I am an urban sociologist, and I research a wide range of issues that influence the way we live in cities and the way our social lives influence how cities look, feel and work. I have investigated the ways new communities form in master planned outer suburban estates, in collaboration with one of Australia’s largest property developers. I have researched inner-city neighbourhoods in Brisbane to understand that way that top-down gentrification influences the culture and community in these places. I was involved in a large Australian Research Council project in the aftermath of the 2011 Brisbane floods designed to better understand the relative importance of local community, government institutions and strangers in the way that affected suburbs recovered from this disaster in the short and medium term. My research has also taken me to Bangladesh where I have led research in collaboration with local universities, to investigate ways the urban poor understand themselves as citizens and how they access government services directly and through systems of patronage.
In a very different form of community research, I am part of a team working in the Solomon Islands since 2011. In collaboration with my colleague Professor Kristen Lyons, we are assisting a team of forestry researchers to better understand the social and cultural enablers and obstacles to the integration of western scientific practices to environmental protection and village level livelihoods.
I am a regular commentator on local and national media on urban affairs and also contribute regularly to the Conversation (over 100,000 readers). Find out more