Abstract:

This paper will document the process of facilitating Peer Assessment using the Learning Management System (LMS) Blackboard Ultra Group in online accounting courses. More and more employers are expecting graduates to learn not just technical accounting knowledge, but in addition, to learn working in a group environment and developing the ability work collaboratively as a team. Additionally, many accrediting bodies have included group work as one of the program learning outcomes. As many online courses are asynchronous, engaging students in group activities and assessing their interaction within their groups can become quite challenging.

The process will entail creating rubrics to be used for peer assessment consisting of five criteria:
(1) source of conflict,
(2) effectiveness,
(3) attitude,
(4) attendance and readiness, and
(5) focus on the task.

Videos and job aids will be provided to guide students and instructors in implementing the group activities. Results of peer assessment from several classes that used the group activity will be summarized, analyzed, and interpreted using descriptive statistics. The expectation is that group activities will foster independence by encouraging personal responsibility for self and group, as well as, promote interdependence through connection with other students as a community of learners.

Keywords:

Group work, Peer Assessment, Collaboration, Student engagement.