Assessed Group Work Policy
The University's Policy for Assessed Group Work was requested by the Students' Representative Council on behalf of the student body to ensure fair and transparent processes around group work assessments. It was developed by the Assessment & Feedback Working Group and has been approved by the University Learning & Teaching Committee and Senate for implementation in academic 2018-2019.
For the attention of: All staff and students.
Supporting Guidance: Guide for students: Assessed Group Work Policy
Policy
Rationale: Group working is increasingly common in courses within the University and we believe that all students should have an equal opportunity to participate in, and learn from, the opportunities that group working can provide. It is therefore essential that there is transparency around the processes of group working and associated assessment of that process and any outcome.
Aim: The aim of the Group Work Policy is to provide clarity and guidance to staff and students around the use of group work in learning. It provides guidance to staff in setting and assessing group work tasks and support to students who must ensure they meet the learning outcomes of their courses. The policy is written with summatively assessed group work in mind; however, the principles of the policy also apply if group work is used formatively.
Scope: The Group Work Policy applies to all members of the University community i.e.:
- All students, including visiting and placement students.
- All members of staff holding a contract of employment, and staff from other institutions on placement at, or visiting the University.
- Individuals with honorary or affiliate status.
Definitions: For the purposes of this policy, group work is defined as any activity in which a group of two, or more, students are assessed on one of more of: a. the production of a jointly produced piece of work b. the production of individual work resulting from working within a group c. their performance whilst working as part of a group of students.
The Policy:
1. The task and the way in which the group is expected to work must be explained to students in advance of beginning the work. In particular, it must be clear:
- why the work is being carried out in a group
- how the individual and group aspects are delineated; this should reassure students that group work, within the guidelines they receive, is not collusion
- how members of the group are selected and their roles (if any) assigned
- how members of the group are expected to behave within the group
- what procedures should be followed if difficulties arise within the group
- how personal extenuating circumstances will be managed
- how the group-work meets the intended learning outcomes and/or supports the development of graduate attributes
2. The timetable must allow time for all students in a group to meet within normal teaching hours (usually 8:30am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday, excluding Wednesday afternoon, after 12:00 noon) so that all students are able to participate.
3. The assessment design should include consideration of opportunities for reassessment of group work; however where this is not practicable, 16.9 of the Code of Assessment will apply and students must be advised that there is one opportunity only and the first mark will count.
4. Where the process and/or product of the group work is summatively assessed:
- A clear assessment scheme must be provided, in advance, to enable students to understand how marks will be allocated and therefore how grades will be awarded.
- Differentiated grades should be provided for each student unless a clear rationale is provided for why this will not be the case.
- The requirements for the award of credit must be set out clearly so students understand the consequences of non-participation, and in particular that no further attempt at the work is available as a matter of right.
Other Guiding Principles:
1. Guidance on interpersonal aspects of working in teams should be provided in advance of beginning group work, and students should be reminded that they are required to observe the Dignity at Work and Study Policy as they work as part of a group.
2. Regular supervision should be provided throughout the project in order to support the group and address potential difficulties/disputes early in the process.
3. Students should be provided with a named member of staff who is available to help them to resolve difficulties/disputes they are unable to resolve as a group.
4. The aims and expected outcomes of group work should be realistic and should be made clear to students from the start.
5. Group projects must allow scope for both teamwork and individual work at a sufficiently challenging level
6. Group members should, where possible, be enabled to rotate their role within the group to gain wider experience.
7. Students may need instruction on good record keeping so that they can share their results effectively.
8. Where appropriate, training on presentation and project planning (e.g. Gantt charts) should be provided and integrated into the project.
9. If an electronic collaboration area is required, set up group forums in Moodle (or other centrally supported technology e.g. Yammer) and require students to use this so that no student is disadvantaged by not having a particular social media account.
10. Some form of peer assessment is encouraged, with moderation by staff as appropriate (Aropä or WebPA might be useful here).
11. As with any form of assessment, group work should be introduced in light of the assessment profile across a programme.
12. The design of the group-work task must link clearly to the intended learning outcomes of the course.
13. Where a student is engaged in individual work within a research team the group-work policy is not applicable. In this instance, collaboration is of course encouraged but the project itself must be a substantial independent piece of assessed work.
Roles & Responsibilities:
Responsibility for implementing the Group Work Policy falls to:
- Academic/Course Convenors
- Students
- School Boards of Studies
Implementing the Policy:
The Assessed Group Work Policy must be implemented from the start of the academic session 2018/19 and must be consulted during course design or redesign. Feedback on the policy will be sought through Periodic Subject Review outcomes and from the Student Representative Council.
Approval, Amendments and Reviews
Date effective: Session 2018-19
Approved by: Senate, June 2018
Review: The University Learning and Teaching Committee will be responsible for reviewing the Group Work Policy.