ASSESSMENT OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING Essi Vuopala, PhD, university-lecturer

As a reminder: defining collaborative learning Collaborative learning is  ‘a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together.’ (Dillenbourg, 1999)  ‘a coordinated, synchronous activity that is the result of a continued attempt to construct and maintain a shared conception of a problem’ (Roschelle & Teasley, 1995)  ‘a situation where a group creates something that exceeds what any one individual can achieve alone (Stahl, 2004) through joint creation of understanding (Littleton & Whitelock, 2005), collaborative knowledge construction (Arvaja, 2007; Baker, 2002), negotiation of shared meanings (e.g. Pea, 1993), elaboration (e.g. Van Boxtel & al., 2000), mutual explaining (e.g. Webb), and reasoning (e.g. Bargh & Schul, 1980).’ Collaborative learning always depends on interactions between group members!

What factors characterize successful collaborative learning? ENGAGEMENT SHARED GOALS KNOWLEDGE CO- CONSTRUCTION PLANNING MONITORING Requires (e.g.) self-, co-, and socially shared regulation of learning Are realized through: Questioning, explaining, elaborating, sharing, hearing, supporting, balancing, analyzing, presenting new knowledge, sosio- cognitive conflicts (etc.) SAFE ATMOSPHERE COORDINATION JOINT DECICION MAKING Fischer ja Mandl. 2003; Fransen, Weinberger, & Kirschner, 2013; Hadwin, Järvelä, & Miller, 2011; Rummel, & al., 2009; Näykki, 2014, Scardamali & Bereiter, 2006; Stahl, 2007; Volet, & al., 2009; Vuopala, 2013

What is assessment?  “Process of observing a sample of a student’s behavior and drawing inferences about the student’s knowledge and abilities” (Ormrod, 2006).  Assessment methods have an influence on what and how does the students learn.  Assessment has to be in line with the course aims.  Assessment has to be part of learning process.  Assessment – feedback

Why considering assessment of collaborative learning important?  Successful collaborative discussion (in educational context) is directly linked to its assessment (Jiang & Ting, 2000).  Teachers’ assess what they consider to be important  Students study/learn the way they think is important according to their teacher SO  This means in practise that to encourage collaborative discussion one must grade it  High-quality interaction is beneficial for individuals’ learning outcomes (e.g. King 1999; Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1989; Van Boxtel ym. 2000).  Process-oriented assessment is a tool for a teacher to scaffold collaborative learning.

Assessing the process

Who, what and how to assess collaborative learning? Process Product Knowledge construction through interaction New knowledge, solution for a problem WHAT? HOW? Observing interaction Self evaluation Group reflection Group product Individual’s contribution WHO? Group LearnerTeacher Group LearnerTeacher

Challenges in assessment of CL  No generic set of agreed-upon CL indicators  Combining group and individual perspectives  Combining process and product levels of CL  Availability for assessment tools is limited  Actual teacher practices of CL assessment is infrequently investigated

THANK YOU!