Exploring Group Summative Assessment GSA Marking'

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Exploring Group Summative Assessment (GSA)
Marking.
Disclaimer This research is my own. The errors
in it are mine alone.They are not the CEM
Centres.
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• A university degree is a high stakes
  qualification.
• It is awarded to individuals, not groups.
• Does GSA make any difference to a students
  overall marks?
• Is it just cheap module delivery and a complete
  fraud?
• Is groupwork assessment any different to exams or
  essays?

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• However
• Adding to assessment methods variety, and
  exposing students to group dynamics may be
  welcomed by both students and employers.
• Students will not take non-summative assessment
  seriously.

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• Why are you here?
• Does your school, or domestic role includes
  advising on HE options?
• You experienced GSA marking as an undergraduate?
• You are contemplating a PhD? just buy the Harley
• The effect of GSA marking may be transferable to
  the classroom???
• It seems to be the least worst session option?
• Something else?
• Next Lots of scatterplots and lots of data-
  from 4 different sources.

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Pilot study (MA) finding.Central Records Data.N
46Later data from the GSA module School.N
35Within course year results
Compared to within GSA module results
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If the results from this small Masters study are
generalizable

• Students with high year individual marks receive
  lower marks for the group component, the reverse
  is also true, confirming Lejk et al. 1999.
• GSA affects students differently according to
  their attainment levels.
• High ability students are less disadvantaged than
  less able students are advantaged.
• Lejk et al. (1999). Group Assessment in Systems
  Analysis and Design a comparison of the
  performance of streamed and mixed-ability
  groups. Assessment Evaluation in Higher
  Education. 24(1) 5-14.

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Durham Student/Year/Faculty Data.
2941 students, 3 years, 3 faculties, 31 GSA
modules, 2 campuses
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Data reconstructed from Knight, J. (2004)
'Comparison of student perception and performance
in individual and group assessments in practical
classes', Journal of Geography in Higher
Education, 281, 63 - 81
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• Australia data

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• Discussion
• Groupwork assessment always advantage the less
  able students. However, GSA may also disadvantage
  the most able.
• Is GSA reliability any different from that of
  essays or examinations?
• Is GSA such a lottery after all?
• Is it only a fraud because it is generally not
  understood?
• Is GSA any better or worse than any other A.
• What are the alternatives?
• What is EDUCATION anyway?

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• And finally
• Individual non-contribution social loafing and
  free riders?
• Groupthink, Janis ( 1972), or group mentality
  (Bion 1961) not invented here.
• Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing
  (Tuckman, 1965). Informing and Adjourning.
• White Carrs (2005) Jumpstart solution.
• Thats it.
• Thank you for your contribution.