Assessing group learning

Use of e-groups to foster collaborative postgraduate learning in a virtual environment

Terry Waters-Marsh
Central Queensland University

Discipline Area

Management; Change Management

Key assessment issue addressed

Online assessment of group learning outcomes from a virtual collaborative learning environment

The initiative

Postgraduate learners were randomly assigned to e-Groups of approximately 5 members each and set the task of developing a change management report of a topical case study while individually working through the set course material. Students were not pre-socialised to the group and replicated the usual group formation stages (forming, storming, norming) through dedicated group discussion lists to arrive at an outcome target - in this case a change management report. Assessment was on both, the contribution to the group outcomes and on the group performance overall, as measured by the change management report.

The reason for the initiative's effectiveness

Collaborative learning outcomes which provided valuable knowledge development and personal growth for each learner without having to leave their jobs/homes/locations and busy life-styles to participate in. Each participant reported being 'stretched' both time-wise and intellectually by the course, usually in ways better than more traditional methods.

Further details

Terry Waters-Marsh
Senior Lecturer in Organisational Studies & HRM
Central Queensland University, Rockhampton Campus
t.waters-marsh@cqu.edu.au


 
 

Back to Top

 

This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes subject to the inclusion of the source and no commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those indicated above, require the written permission from the Commonwealth available through AusInfo.• © Copyright 2002, AUTC.