Challenge

The challenge we had was collecting for Assurance of Learning so that we could address a specific Program Learning Objective (PLO) - Group Communication.

Previously we hadn't collected on this PLO so we had to find an effective way to do it. The difficulty was that Assurance of Learning has to be collected on individual tasks, and yet we were dealing with group communication.

Approach

Firstly, I identified the courses that had a group task component. For Assurance of Learning we're supposed to collect a minimum of twenty percent for the assessment task.

I felt this was too onerous for any one course to take, but identified there were four courses - two courses in the Marketing major, and two courses in the Entrepreneurship major,  that had group projects.

I considered that if each of those courses took ten percent and put it towards group communication, we would then have twenty percent for the Marketing major and twenty percent for the Entrepreneurship major.

From the rubric and I found five criteria that I thought addressed all those issues around group communication. I then formulated a template that I could then present to the convenors.

Course conveners weren't particularly aware of how to go through this process of data collection. To begin the process, I considered how each task in Group Communication could apply the rubric.

I then discussed this with the convenors, and indicated that they would have to take ten percent and allocate this to a particular task, and suggested that the best way to do it would be through a critical reflection.

Convenors were able to contextualise the rubric template for their own specific instance.

So if the topic area of Market Research, then it could be tweeked for that topic. However, I stipulated that I didn't want the rubric changed extensively. This would allow us to collect consistent data.

I asked them to use the set criteria so that we could collect consistent data across these four courses. To simplify the process I suggested they would take five criteria from the rubric, and turn these into statements that students could then address while doing their critical reflection.

Assurance of Learning is not just about the assessment task, but also considers the teaching and learning activities that scaffold assessment tasks.

Given this, I thought is was important that convenors emphasise and work though activities around group communication with students. How do we address areas of conflict and teamwork?

Further, Assurance of Learning is an effective way of identifying gaps we have in our teaching and learning activities.

In essence, I gave convenors a foundation to work with that would make what many of them considered an onerous task simpler.

Outcomes

It will take some time to evaluate how effective this approach has been. In any case, we must find effective ways of evaluating group work. We undertake group tasks at university, but they're also incredibly important because they are authentic in that they reflect what will happen in the workplace.

Implement

Have conversations with colleagues, everybody can bring a different skill set to a particular process. It's important that we take a team approach to problems, whether in our own departments, or more broadly across the university. We shouldn't have to keep reinventing the wheel.

Griffith Graduate Attributes

Group communication clearly aligns with the Griffith Graduate Attribute no. 2. Effective communicators and collaborators.

Support Resources

• Learner-Enabling Design (P5). Getting Started with VLE tools and the Course Design Standards.

  Module

Contributed by

• Griffith Business School
  Department of Marketing
  Dr Deborah Griffin
  (07) 555 29104
  deborah.griffin@griffith.edu.au
  Griffith Experts profile
• Learning Futures
  

Preferred Citation

Griffin, D., and Learning Futures (2020). Developing rubrics for Assurance of Learning. Retrieved from https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/7288/view