From Research Instruments to Classroom Assessments: A Call for Tools to Assist Teacher Assessment of Collaborative Learning

Abstract

When asked about their experiences with collaborative learning, students typically mention (a) unequal participation by students--up to free-riding, and (b) dissatisfaction with the assessment of collaborative learning. In fact, as inequality of participation increases especially when there is a free-rider in a group the call for diversified assessment intensifies. The topic of classroom assessment has remained implicit in wide areas of research on (CS)CL. More specifically, the issue as to how we can support teachers and students in both monitoring and assessment of collaborative learning processes and products has hardly been addressed systematically. This panel brings together researchers from the (CS)CL community to discuss and explore how research instruments can be transformed for classroom assessment purposes including the role of technology and what we as (CS)CL community could offer to teachers and students alike.