Optimal Assessment Type and Weight for Heterogeneous Teams

Abstract

Team components have been increasingly used as part of accounting course assessments, yet guidelines on how to successfully implement team assessments remain limited (Opdecam and Everaert 2018). Using an analytical approach, this study explores an area that has received little attention - the relative weights of individual and team assessments. It shows that team assessments can be a double-edged sword. They not only impose more uncertainties on students but also encourage strong students to cooperate with weak students to help them learn. This study also shows that as the weight applied to the team assessment component increases, students' motivation to learn can increase or decrease, suggesting a non-monotonic relationship. Furthermore, it suggests factors that instructors should consider when assigning weights to team and individual assessments. Implications for accounting and business education are also discussed.