CHALLENGES OF TEAM WORK ASSESSMENT IN HEI

Educational programmes at all levels should consider and reflect authentic real life applications. In modern working world, net- and team-working skills are considered as important as job-related knowledge. Continuous assessment of team work and the input of individual members (throughput) together with related response are essential in enhancing successful team work and learning.

Assessment is traditionally understood as grading and often concentrates even in HEI on the outcome. However, assessment can be progressive and develop throughout the teaching and learning process, a study unit, and guide the student in the learning process (formative) instead of purely limiting to a giving a grade (summative). Even the summative assessment of team work requires the assessment of the individual student’s throughput and learning, not only the team’s final output.

The aim of this paper is to bring new elements in the discussion on team work assessment and especially concerning the challenges related to continuous assessment of learning in HEI. We discuss challenges of promoting and developing formative assessment and use of peer- assessment as a tool. Supportive assessment culture and the teachers’ positive attitude towards continuous assessment together with adapted tools enhance students’ engagement and learning.

Peer- assessment can be a useful way for teachers to learn about the team work, the dynamics of the group, about the individual student’s engagement and input as well as the team work processes including roles and tasks, respect of timetable, communication and conflict management.

Feedback seeks to make self- and peer- assessment visible so that both the student and the evaluator can interpret on an equal footing. Continuous supervision is necessary for students to realise the importance of assessment and feedback in guiding the students in the learning process. This also helps the team to understand the role of the team in the individual team members’ learning process.

This paper is part of a study called Innovaatiokompetenssien mittaaminen (Innokomppi) conducted in 2012–2014 with the European Social Funding (ESF).