Planning and Assessing Group (Video) Projects in Foreign Language Classes

Abstract

This chapter provides suggestions for the planning, conduct, and assessment of group (video) projects in foreign language classes. It first outlines a rationale for the use of project work and discusses the benefits and challenges of incorporating group projects in foreign language classes. To illustrate how group projects may be implemented and assessed within a specific course, the chapter describes an intermediate-level content- and task-based foreign language course on fairy tales. It details how course objectives, tasks, and assessments are aligned and how a group video project, in which students plan, produce, and present their own (modern) fairy tale film, is integrated in the course. The proposed assessments are both process-based and product-based and include self-assessment, peer assessment, and assessment by the instructor. Forms and rubrics that are used by students and instructor to assess the process of participating in the project and the project's end product are presented so that they can be adapted easily by interested readers.