Assessing Cooperative Learning

Teachers who begin using cooperative learning generally have three main assessment concerns:

• how to assess teamwork within a group.
• how to assess group projects.
• how to assess individual work within the group.

1. Ways to assess teamwork within a group:
   • Anecdotal records.
   • Checklist with matching objectives.
   • Pie graph chart self-report.
2. Ways to assess the products of the group:
   • Narrative.
   • Photos with narrative.
   • Other groups assess each other.
   • Individual classmates rate group products and/or presentations.
   • Teacher’s scoring sheet.
   • Group grades its own work.
3. Ways to assess individuals within groups:
   • Effort tracking form.
   • Group members develop task list and grade each other.

Blank Masters for Assessment

Anecdotal Records:

Teacher observation records useful for checking understanding and keeping track of student progress.

Mastery Checklist for Objectives:

This checklist is useful for tracking understanding of Linear Equations and inequalities in Algebra II.

Student Record Checklist:

A sample student list assessing student effort.

Student Effort Form:

A blank master to check student effort.

Sharing Letter:

A blank master for pairs to process their work together.

Student Self Evaluation:

A self-evaluation blank master for student use.

Checking Out my Social Skills:

A social skills self-evaluation blank master for student use.

Sample Assessment for Group Work:

An assessment form blank master for teacher assessment of group work.

Team Assessment:

An assessment for to be completed by the group assessing the group process.

Our Team Social Goal:

A blank master of a social goal contract signed by group member before the work commences.

Evaluation of the Group Process:

A blank master for the group to assess the process.

Assessing Individuals within Groups:

A blank master checklist to assess individuals as they work in a group.

Assessment Tools for Cooperative Learning Activities

With cooperative learning instructional strategies it is important that students be given an opportunity to develop assessment criteria to evaluate an activity. This gives the student ownership of the assessment tool/criteria and allows the student to use critical thinking strategies with regard to the development of assessment criteria. The following pages are assessment tools that can be used to process and evaluate cooperative learning activities and/or projects:

Sample Checklist:

A blank master checklist an individual student to assess his/her work in a group.

Narrative Comments:

Examples of comments written by the teacher about individual students and/or the group’s progress and work habits.

Groups Assess Other Groups:

A blank master inviting students establish criteria with or without teacher input in order to assess other groups.

Groups Assess own Product/Activity:

A blank master inviting students to assess their own group project or activity.

Group Assess Individual Member Contribution:

A blank master requiring students to collaboratively assess each group member’s contribution to the activity.

Explanation of Evaluation Key:

An explanation of the key used for evaluating the group process blank masters.