This document discusses using collaborative evaluation as a learning technique in teaching. The author has introduced assessment opportunities at every stage in the units they teach, including learning agreements, check-ins, group activities, presentations, and self-evaluations. This resulted in increased student engagement and achievement. The author plans to focus more on collaborative learning activities and reflection to encourage higher-level skill development.

1. Collaborative Evaluation as
Learning
LSBU BCIM Learning and Teaching seminar
26 February 2009
Colston Sanger
BCIM Faculty L&T Fellow
sangerc@lsbu.ac.uk

2. The abstract
You know all about assessment of learning, as well
as formative assessment for learning. But what
about assessment as learning?
In this lunchtime session, I will describe how in the
units I teach I have been introducing assessment at
every conceivable opportunity.
In other words, if assessment is good, let’s do it
as often as possible.
I will review what has happened to date and what I
plan to do next.
(Actually, I no longer talk about ‘assessment’: I prefer
‘collaborative evaluation’.)

3. Structure of this talk

BCIM Faculty L&T proposal, 2007-8

What I did

Results so far

What next?

4. BCIM L&T Fellowship
project

Collaborative Evaluation as Learning
‘To investigate practical means of
providing continual self, peer and tutor
collaborative evaluation in ways that
promote student engagement – in a
context of constructive alignment of
individual learning agreements,
intended learning outcomes and, where
possible, work-based live assignments
within two MBA units.’
NB: There is nothing special about any
of this

5. The context - I

2006-7, co-teaching on two MBA units, Managing
Projects and Consulting Skills

Disappointing quality of some student assignments



Despite encouragement to get feedback on early drafts
Misgivings regarding the originality of particular
assignments
Looking for ways of increasing student
engagement and hence achievement

6. The context - II

BCIM Faculty L&T award, 2007-8


Unit Leader for MBA Managing Projects since 2007-8


And again for a related project, 2008-9
Also Unit Leader MBA Research Methods, Dissertation Project,
2007-8
2008-9


Co-teaching new MBA Stage 1 core unit Business Process and
Organisation Design
Unit Leader for new MBA Stage 2 core unit Critical Management
Inquiry (includes research methods)

7. Why ‘collaborative
evaluation’?
And not simply ‘assessment’?

Because:
‘I want to focus not so much on the assessment of the
tangible artefacts of learning as on the development (as
evidenced by their in-class interactions) of students’
awareness and critical judgement of multi-party or multistakeholder perspectives, including their own, particularly
where criteria may be more emergent than given.’

A key skill in managing projects – and a critical aspect of
study at postgraduate level

8. ‘Constructive alignment’?

An iterative, incremental process of alignment and
refinement of intended learning outcomes, learning
activities and evaluation

Cf., innovation or change projects in today’s more fluid
organisational contexts

In which the process of managing the project is also an iterative,
incremental process of learning what is required and what can
be achieved
Biggs, R (1999), Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Buckingham: SRHE and
Open University Press

9. What I did

Learning agreement

Check-in

In-class group activity –
self and peer evaluation

Group presentations


Unit review

Self-evaluation of
individual assignment

Has fed into the design of a new
core MBA unit, Critical
Management Inquiry
Class review

Subsequently, adapted for a
Research Methods unit and a
Residential

10. Examples – learning
agreement

Mugshot
MBA-M-111 Managing Projects
What particularly do you want to gain from
this unit?


Professional
objectives
Personal aspirations


Every student comes
with a live person
attached, with hopes,
dreams of a better
world …
Small print
How do you propose to go about it?
What work-based or other live project do
you have in mind for your individual
assignment?
What additional help or resources might
you need? – e.g., what support or additional
resources can you call upon at work?
How will you know when you’re done? –
e.g., what are your success criteria?
Then what?

11. Check-in review

12. Expected outcomes

13. A summer ski jump festival

14. With a feast attached

15. Group presentations

16. Group activity - self and peer
evaluation
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXX
XXXXX

17. Class review

18. Unit review

19. Work-based project, selfevaluation
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XX
XXXXXXXXXXXX
X

20. One minute activity break

What do you do?

What else could you do
in your teaching
sessions to encourage
this kind of metalearning?

21. Results - I

22. Results - II
‘You treated us with
‘The three
months we spent
doing your sessions
were a lift to my
career.’
‘I enjoyed your
different approach,
particularly the
"around the table
discussions".’
respect and as adults.
You listened to us and
directed us well. Your
seminar format was very
refreshing.’

23. Results - III

Engagement is all

Alignment of intended learning outcomes, activities and
evaluation to encourage the development of higher level
skills

But of course…

‘Calibrating’ the process of learning to provide many small
opportunities for review and reflection

Dwell time

24. What next?

Learning as a social activity



Lead with groupwork/simulation/case study


Less teaching, more time for learning
Ten minute cycles
Inquiry-based learning, as in the new Critical Management Inquiry
unit
‘Naturalising Reflection’


Reinvigorating the established rituals of managing projects, as in
critical incident reviews, project reviews
Developing expert awareness, as in naturalistic decision making

25. Questions, discussion

What did you or I learn that if we don’t discuss, we might
forget?

What still puzzles us?