Dr. Siemens ask in his presentation about, how change an assessment model based on individual learning to a model of collaborative learning? I think that this question is asking in the face to face context too. The problem is in the evaluation and assessment process per se and that they have not relationship with the teaching process. That what Siemens expressed that assessment is not different from teaching. Therefore, the teaching process has to be collaborative and designed to use collaborative assessment.
As a face to face context, online class presents the same problem with students, different skills and learning styles. Lisa (2009) in her block addresses problem like, students not attending class, not reading the syllabus, not understanding when they ask a question and it is answered, not asking questions when they need to, missing tests, having low reading ability, being inexperienced at processing basic information, and not being aware of cues given to help them and that these problem not been magically solved online. The teachers have to be aware and work with Siemens call “Participate Pedagogy”.
Siemens suggested four ways to assess in learning communities; peers assessing peers, online communities as list serve, student contributions using wiki, learning management systems to metrics the post and general participation (Siemens, 2009).
Instructors need to keep the following things in mind about assessments: fair and direct, based on stated outcomes and equitable (Siemens, 2009). In one blog that I found suggests that to improve validity, In particular the process should not rely on a single assessment exercise and use a variety of different approaches. This way helps to overcome the different levels of skill and knowledge and be fair and equitable in the assessment process because providing an array of assessments the instructor is able to reach various types of learners with different learning styles and motivate them to participate in the collaborative process.
To develop a fair and equitable assessment, Palloff and Pratt (2007) suggest that students assess their own performance and receive feedback from each other throughout the course. They further state that having this type of feedback "is the only way students can learn to self-assess continually and then self-adjust their intellectual performance..." (Palloff, & Pratt, 2007)
To be effective in the collaborative process, all members of the group need to establish rules, roles, and consequences. If a student does not want to participate, the other group members will need approach him and to understand and help with the process. If the problem persists, the members of the collaborative group will need to talk the instructor and who will ultimately determine the consequences and the actions to following.
References:
Cook, C. (2010) Assessing engagement in social media: how to? Retrieve from
http://www.clarecookonline.co.uk
Lane, M.L (2009). Ramblings on assessments that work and assumptions that don’t. Retrieve from Lisa’s (Online) Teaching Blog
http://lisahistory.net/wordpress/?p=392
http://lisahistory.net/wordpress/?p=392
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Siemens, G. (2008). Assessment of collaborative learning. [Vodcast]. Laureate Education Inc. Baltimore: Author.
