Group Assessment at Final Degree Level: An Evaluation

Abstract

There is a growing awareness among educators that it is important to provide a skills-based education as well as one based on academic achievements. This was articulated in the UK by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA, 2000), in its Subject Benchmarking Statement for Accounting (Gloucester: QAAHE). Within the heading 'cognitive abilities and non-subject specific skills', there is a requirement for students to demonstrate abilities and skills in group working (p. 2). In order to capture these key capabilities, curriculum development must focus on utilising appropriate pedagogic techniques, which enhance learning and develop appropriate interpersonal skills. However, universities need to assess these desirable skills otherwise; a 'backwash effect' will stifle innovation. Whilst group assessment has the potential to increase assessment validity, by bringing into the assessment framework skills and competencies, which are more closely related to real-life situations than traditional examinations and essays, appropriate moderation such as peer assessment needs to take place to achieve fairness and objectivity; otherwise the assessment exercise may marginalize reliability. This paper evaluates the introduction of a group assessment project into the final year of an Accounting and Finance degree. Performance data was collected for each student, which facilitated a comparative analysis on both examination and coursework results. Data was also collected from the students by way of questionnaires and a standard module evaluation form. This data provided information on how the groups and the peer assessment operated, together with the students' perceptions of the fairness of the exercise. The paper concludes with recommendations for practice.Group working, peer assessment, group assessment,

Group assessment at first year and final degree level: a comparative evaluation

“…Group work and assessment have become established pedagogical approaches in higher education following their development across disciplines over a number of years (Lejk, Wyvill, & Farrow, 1997;Gatfield, 1999;Li, 2001;Johnston & Miles, 2004;Knight, 2004;Ballantine & McCourt Larres, 2007;Gammie & Matson, 2007;Strauss & Alice, 2007). In its Benchmark Statement for Occupational Therapy, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) highlights a range of required practical skills related to group work and team work (QAA, 2001).…”

Quantification for complex assessment: uncertainty estimation in final year project thesis assessment

“…The literature reports that some peer examiners at a low level of expertise are not even capable of completing assessment tasks as shown in experiments by Gammie and Matson (2007) for a FYP. Further, the approach here for UAR estimation may be useful for interpreting inconsistent conclusions on reliability for some other peer assessments available in the literature (Toppin 1998;Hafner 2003).…”

“…The model described in Figure 6(a) may be useful, representing a guide map of uncertainties for a parametric understanding. The method based on the model for estimating UAR may also be practically useful for improving UAR unless one wants to rely on those based on 'a socially situated interpretive act' (Shay 2004) or on questionnaire results as attempted by Gammie and Matson (2007). For post-assessment applications, relative values for variables may be found.…”

Accounting education literature review (2006–2009)

“…This finding is inconsistent with Hite's results and questions whether faculty should invest the additional time required to manage the exam re-take. Gammie and Matson (2007) evaluate the benefits of a group assessment project in a tax course in the final year of a finance/accounting degree in the UK. Data (n = 47) include questionnaire responses, peer assessment, student performance records, and a standard university evaluation (this last item completed by only 23 of the original sample).…”