11.1.3 Option 3 - Combined Grade
In our experience, when discussing the topic of grading groups, by far the most popular option among teachers involves various ways of combining Option 1 (Same Grade for All), and Option 2 (Separate Grades). The hope is that a combined grade provides the motivational advantages of same grade for all, while avoiding some of its possible drawbacks. Many means exist to arrive at a combined grade. Here are some of them.
- Each student’s grade is a weighted average of their own score and the scores of their groupmates. For example, in a group of four, Member A’s score on an individual test after the groupwork was 100, Member B’s score was 90, C’s score was 80, and D’s was 70. A’s score would fall to 90, an average of A’s original score (100) and the average of B, C, and D’s scores (90 + 80 + 70 = 240 divided by 3 = 80). Thus, A’s score would be an average of 100 and 80 = 90.
- Bonus points (Possibility 1). If all group members score above a fixed standard, such as 70%, all group members receive bonus points. For instance, in a group of two, if Member A scores 75 and Member B scores 85, they could each receive five bonus points. Thus, Member A’s score rises to 80, and Member B’s score rises to 90.
- Bonus points (Possibility 2). If all group members improve on their previous score, e.g., over the past three quizzes, everyone receives bonus points. Of course, students with perfect scores are considered to have improved even if their past average was a perfect score and they should receive some recognition of this.
- Bonus points (Possibility 3). Students receive bonus points based on an increase in their group’s average score.
- Students’ grades are based on a blend of the group’s overall score with a separate score for each group member according to how much they contributed to the group, including the level of their cooperative skills. One way that we have done this is for peers to rate how well each groupmate contributed to the group. If Groupmate #1 contributed fully, they receive 100% of the group’s overall score, but if the peers’ average rating of Groupmate #1 was 80%, then #1 receives 80% of the group’s overall score.
Many education institutions the world over talk about the importance of the skills and attitudes necessary for successful teamwork (see, for example, the Singapore Ministry of Education’s list of 21st Century Competencies (MOE, 2015). However, if these skills and attitudes are not assessed, will grade-conscious students strive to adopt and apply them?
6. Through the use of these cooperative skills students can do peer assessment, as they will know better than their teachers how much each group member contributed. An example would be if a group of two’s work received a score of 70%, and Member A said that Member B did 100% of their fair share, then Member B would receive a grade of 70, but if Member B said that Member A only did 90% of their fair share, Member A would receive a score of only 63, i.e., 90% of 70.