Grappling with group work? Pondering over how to proceed with awarding marks? Frustrated by how to ensure fairness? Then you are not alone!
The University offers a diverse portfolio of subjects, yet most of our courses share one common feature: they nearly all incorporate an element of group assessment designed to measure students’ ability to work collaboratively towards achieving a shared goal. Group assessment is therefore a central aspect of the student journey at Bath, but it doesn’t come without its challenges.
Our new Group Work Guide
In response to this, we have produced a Group Work Guide which offers staff a range of approaches to reduce the pressure associated with group assessment, manage student expectations, and get group assessment off to a good start.
Many of the approaches outlined in the guide have been developed in conjunction with colleagues at Bath, offering an insight into commonly experienced challenges, as well as a range of solutions which are adaptable for multiple disciplines and contexts, from undergraduate to postgraduate study.
Colleagues we have already worked with have found the guide has helped them to “reframe group work as process rather than product” and to “think differently about assessment practices [and] group work assessment possibilities” (comments from colleagues in the Department of Social and Policy Sciences).
Whether you are interested in exploring how to better assess the process of group working, develop inclusive group assessment, build in peer marking opportunities, or address the issue of unfair contribution, this guide will introduce you to a range of practical strategies.
One colleague in the Department of Mechanical Engineering commented:
We found the framework useful for thinking about groupwork from a student's point of view, and how we can support students to work together effectively and avoid some of the potential issues
Whilst the primary aim of this guide is to make group assessment more manageable and effective, the strategies we outline will, in turn, foster opportunities for authentic and inclusive assessment and ensure our assessments are more robust in light of GenAI. So whether you are specifically grappling with group work or thinking about making your assessment more GenAI-proof, the guide can be used as a jumping off point for ensuring your assessments chime with sector developments.
A group endeavour
Creating this resource was a real group endeavour and reflects the shared experiences of colleagues from across the many disciplines at Bath. That said, if you think we have missed a vital piece of the jigsaw or overlooked a great strategy that we can share with others, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We would love to hear from colleagues who would like to share their experiences and insights so that we can further promote good practice and lighten the load of managing group assessment.
As we often tell our students when promoting the virtues of group working, solutions for real-world challenges depend upon multiple perspectives and a collaborative approach; we stand our best chance of problem-solving the pitfalls of group assessment by sharing and supporting each other to make group work manageable, meaningful, and impactful.
Workshop offer and further support
In addition to the guide, we can offer bespoke workshops on group work and assessment. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can work with you to tailor our workshop offer to your requirements. Get in touch with us at clt@bath.ac.uk
Respond
