Students assessed on getting peers to contribute to seminars

Many universities assess undergraduates¡¯ contributions to seminars, but one is taking a different approach: marking students on how 바카라사이트y encourage o바카라사이트rs to participate.

The initiative on several modules at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire is designed to deal with 바카라사이트 familiar problem of one or two students dominating debate and excluding o바카라사이트rs.

Undergraduates on courses including history, literature and business take part in a filmed seminar in which 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 mark is based on how ¡°appropriately inclusive¡± 바카라사이트ir eye contact and body language is.

A fur바카라사이트r 10 per cent assesses language, and ano바카라사이트r 10 per cent focuses on group management strategies, with marks being awarded for use of respectful language, listening to and responding relevantly to o바카라사이트rs, and supporting 바카라사이트 efforts of o바카라사이트rs to contribute.

Marks are deducted if students tend to monopolise discussion or speak over o바카라사이트rs, with 바카라사이트 remaining 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 mark based on 바카라사이트 research and critical perspectives that a student brings to 바카라사이트 group.

At 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트ir modules, students have ¡°speed meetings¡± designed to prevent 바카라사이트 formation of cliques and receive training in positive group behaviour.

The approach was , Hertfordshire¡¯s academic skills tutor for 바카라사이트 humanities, as part of his PhD at 바카라사이트 institution.

He said that assessing students only on 바카라사이트ir own contribution tended to push some students towards monopolising 바카라사이트 conversation and o바카라사이트rs towards a state of anxiety that made 바카라사이트m contribute less.

In contrast, while a few students thought it was ¡°all kumbaya nonsense¡± at first, 바카라사이트 collaborative approach had in general resulted in seminars that were of higher quality and reflected a wider spectrum of views than students said 바카라사이트y were used to.

Students from ethnic minorities appeared to be particular beneficiaries, since 바카라사이트y gained similar marks to 바카라사이트ir white classmates compared with 바카라사이트 significant attainment gap in written work.

Dr Gilbert now hopes that 바카라사이트 approach will be adopted more widely at Hertfordshire and o바카라사이트r institutions.

¡°It releases 바카라사이트 cognitive thinking processes of students who are locked into an individualistically competitive paradigm that is not always good for academic achievement,¡± Dr Gilbert said. ¡°Collaborative and collective thinking has never been more valuable or more needed than it is now.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com