Setting and Managing Learning
Goals
The
first step in conducting assessment is setting the learning goals. Once
the learning goals are formulated and agreed upon, multiple forms of
assessment may follow. These assessment procedures are: tests,
compositions, presentations, projects, portfolios, observations,
interviews, questionnaires, and learning logs and journals (Johnson,
Johnson, & Holubec, 1998).
My Learning Contract
Learning Goals
Each student must fill out the following chart that represents his/her
learning goals. Students’ commitment is very important for achieving the
learning goal that specifies what is to be achieved in the future and what
are the responsibilities for helping group mates learn (Johnson, Johnson,
& Holubec, 1998).
Students
complete the following table:
My
Academic Goals
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My
Responsibilities for Helping Others Learn
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My
Group’s Goals
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1.
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2.
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3.
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4.
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THE
PLAN FOR ACHIEVING MY LEARNING GOALS, MEETING MY RESPONSIBILITIES,
AND HELPING MY GROUP IS:
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THE
TIMELINE FOR ACHIEVING MY GOALS IS:
Beginning
Date:
First
Road-Mark:
Second
Road-Mark:
Third
Road-Mark:
Final
Date:
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Students
signatures:
Types
of Conferences
The
learning goals are created and discussed in three types of conferences: a
goal-setting conference, a progress-assessment conference, and a
post-evaluation conference. Time doesn’t allow teachers to have
conferences with each individual student. But teachers can have such
conferences by listening while cooperative learning groups have
progress-assessment conferences or by pulling students aside for
individual conferences as needed (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1998).
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Conference
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Individual
Student
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Cooperative
Learning Group
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Goal-Setting
Conference
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Each
class period, day, week, or instructional unit each student sets
personal learning goals and publicly commits him/herself to
achieve them in a learning contract.
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Each
class period, day, week, or instructional unit each cooperative
group sets group learning goals and members publicly commit
themselves to achieve them in a learning contract.
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Progress-Assessment
Conferences
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The
student’s progress in achieving his/her learning goals is
assessed. What the student has accomplished so far and what is yet
to be done is reviewed, and the student’s next steps are
detailed.
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The
group’s progress in achieving its learning goals is assessed,
what the group has accomplished so far and what is yet to be done
is reviewed, and the group’s next steps are detailed.
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Post-Evaluation
Conference
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The
student explains his or her level of achievement (what the student
learned of did not learn during the instructional unit) to
interested parties (student’s cooperative learning group,
teacher(s), and parents), which naturally leads to the next
goal-setting conference.
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The
group explains its level of achievement (what the group has
accomplished and failed to accomplish during the instructional
unit) to interested parties (members, teacher(s), and parents),
which naturally leads to the next goal-setting conference.
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Tests
and Examinations
Two
kinds of tests can be used to assess students’ learning: standardized
and teacher-made. Tests and quizzes are given to assess how much each
student knows and what students still need to learn. The procedure for
giving tests is as follows:
When
the students meet and retake the test in cooperative groups the task is to
answer each question correctly and the goal is to make sure that everybody
in the group understands the materials and procedures covered by the test
(Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1998).
Compositions
and Presentations
Two
of the most common performances assessed are compositions and
presentations. The use of cooperative groups to assess students’
performances meets the following goals: allows students to engage in the
performance frequently, provide immediate and detailed feedback, lets
students observe closely the work of others and see the strengths and
drawbacks, and provide the labor needed for engaging in performances.
(Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec)
When
working in pairs, for instance, the students follow these procedures:
discuss and outline each others’ composition in pairs, research the
topic individually, write the first paragraph of each composition in
pairs, write the composition alone, edit each other’s composition,
rewrite the composition alone, re-edit each other’s compositions,
sign-off on partner’s composition verifying that it is ready to be
handed in, and process the quality of the pair work.
Composition
Rubric
Name:
_______________________ Date: _______________ Grade: _____________
Title
of Composition: ______________________________________________
Scoring
Scale: Low 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 High
Criteria
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Score
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Weight
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Total
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Organization:
Thesis
Statement and Introduction
Rationale
Presented to Support Thesis
Conclusion
Logically Drawn from Rationale
Effective
Transitions
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6
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(30)
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Content:
Topic
Addressed
Reasoning
Clear with Valid Logic
Evidence
Presented to Support Key Points
Creativity
Evident
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8
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(40)
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Usage:
Topic
Sentence Beginning Every Paragraph
Correct
Subject-Verb Agreement
Correct
Verb Tense
Complete
Sentences (No Run-Ons, Fragments)
Mix
of Simple and Complex Sentences
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4
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(20)
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Mechanics:
Correct
Use of Punctuation
Correct
Use of Capitalization
Fewer
or No Misspellings
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2
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(10)
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Scale:
93-100=A, 87-92=B, 77-84=C
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20
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(100)
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Individual
and Group Projects
As
an assessment procedure projects allow students to use multiple learning
styles and strategies. Using these with cooperative learning enhances the
complexity and elaboration of the projects as more students bring more
ideas to the process.
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Examples
of projects
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Select
a famous writer, artist, politician, or philosopher from the
Renaissance period and become that person on a panel of experts.
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Select
and research a disease and prepare an instructional pamphlet to
present to class.
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Teaching
gardening (different students are in charge of seeds, fertilizing,
and so on).
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Research
and present to class an international conflict in the world today
(for each country each students has a different aspect to study)
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Portfolios
A
portfolio as an assessment procedure is a collection of a student’s work
in an area, showing growth, self-reflection, and achievement. Portfolios
can also show a cooperative group’s progress (see Cooperative Group
Portfolio box).
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Contents
of portfolios
1.
Cover sheet that
creatively reflects the nature of the student’s (or group’s)
work.
2.
Table of contents that
includes the title of each work sample and its page number.
3.
The rationale
explaining what work samples are included, why each one is
significant, and how they all fit together in a holistic view of
the student’s (or group’s) work.
4.
The work samples.
5.
A self-assessment written
by the student or the group members.
6.
Future goals based on the
student’s (or group’s) current achievements, interests, and
progress.
7.
Other’s comments and assessments
from the teacher, cooperative learning groups, and other
interested parties such as parents.
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Cooperative
group portfolio
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What
is a cooperative base group?
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A
cooperative
base group
is a long-term, heterogeneous cooperative learning group with
stable membership. It may last for one course, one year, or for
several years. Its purposes are to give the support, help,
encouragement, and assistance each member needs to make good
academic progress and develop cognitively and socially in healthy
ways.
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What
is a group portfolio?
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A
group
portfolio is
an organized collection of group work samples accumulated over
time plus individual work samples of each member.
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What
are its contents?
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Cover
sheet that creatively reflects group’s personality
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Table
of contents
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Description
of the group and its members
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Introduction
to portfolio and rationale for the work samples included
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Group
work samples that necessitated cooperation
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Observation
data of group members interacting as they were engaged in
cooperative work on their projects
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Self-assessment
of the group by its members
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Individual
members’ work samples that were revised on the basis of group
feedback (compositions, presentations, etc.)
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Self-assessment
of members including their strengths and weaknesses in
facilitating group effectiveness and other members’ learning
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List
of future learning and social skills goals for the group and each
of its members
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Comments
and feedback from faculty and other groups
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Preparing
to Use Portfolios
The
following checklist is for individuals or groups to use in compiling a
portfolio. The teacher can use this table to set up the criteria for
portfolios.
1.
Who will construct the portfolios:
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Individual students with teacher input and help
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Individual students with the input and help of cooperative learning
groups.
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Cooperative base groups (whole group work and individual member’s work)
with teach input and help.
2.
What type of portfolio do you want to use?
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Best works portfolio
____ Process/growth portfolio
3.
What are the purposes and objectives of the portfolio?
a.
b.
c.
4.
What categories of work samples should go into the portfolios?
a.
b.
c.
5.
What criteria will students or groups use to select their
entries?
a.
b.
c
6.
Who will develop the rubrics to assess and evaluate the portfolios?
____
Faculty
____ Students
(Johnson,
Johnson, & Holubec)
Observing
While tests, compositions, projects, and portfolios show whether or not
students can reach a correct answer, they do not show the quality of the
reasoning strategies the students use and the effective use of social
skills in cooperative groups. Consequently,
observation becomes one of the most important assessment procedures. There
are three stages in observing students’ actions: prepare for observation
by deciding who the observers are and what actions they are to observe,
observe formal and/or informal, and summarize the results for students’
use (Johnson, Johnso, & Holubec, 1998).
Interviewing
When observing students at work, the teacher can interview them to find
out about their reasoning process and strategies. The personal nature of
the interviews allows the teacher to build a positive relationship with
the student. An interview can be used for assessment and teaching
purposes.
“Being a Socrates” is an example of an interview that is used as an
instructional strategy.
Being a Socrates
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Choose a topic being studied.
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Develop two or three general questions on what the student knows
about the topic to begin an interview.
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After asking the opening questions, probe what the student knows
while looking for inconsistencies, contradictions, or conflicts in what
the student is saying.
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Ask follow-up questions that highlight the conflicts within the
student’s reasoning and make these contradictions focal points for the
student’s attention.
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Continue the interview until the student has resolved the conflicts
by moving towards deeper-level analysis of what he or she knows and
arriving at greater and greater insights into the material being studied.
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Conclude the interview by pointing the student toward further
resources to read and study (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1998)
Attitude Questionnaires
Attitude questionnaires have been developed to show the attitudes students
have towards a subject area. Obtaining good grades doesn’t mean that the
students really like the subject matter.
Below is an example of a questionnaire administered to students to reveal
their interest in history.
My View of This Class Is
Answer each question below with your best opinion. Do not leave any
questions blank.
1.
My general opinion about history is
_________________________________________________
2.
History is my _______________________ subject.
3.
If someone suggested that I take up history as my life’s work, I would
reply _________________________________________________
4.
History is my favorite school subject.
______ True
______ False
5.
Do you intend to take another course in history?
___ Yes ___ No
___ I’m not sure
6.
How interested are you in learning more about history?
Very
interested 1 : 2 : 3 :
4 : 5 : 6 : 7 Very
uninterested
History
Ugly
1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7
Beautiful
Bad
1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7
Good
Worthless
1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7
Valuable
Negative
1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 :
7 Positive
Logs and Journals
Learning logs and journals help students keep track and reflect on their
learning experiences. Logs refer to short entries related to the subject
matter being studied. Journals entries are more related to personal
observations and feelings. The teachers can assign point values to both
logs and journals entries (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec).
Assigning point values to entries
Points
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Criteria
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20
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Completeness
of entries
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10
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Entries
recorded on time
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15
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Originality
of entries
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15
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Higher-level
reasoning demonstrated
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15
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Connections
made with other subject areas
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20
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Personal
reflection
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100
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Total
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Teams and Assessment
Educators need to start their instruction, assessment, and
reporting actions by forming a collegial teaching team. The team
constructs the assessment and reporting process by making rubrics,
implementing the rubrics effectively, and reporting the data to interested
audiences (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec 1998).
