Group-based Assessment Research Articles

Late complications following infant male circumcision using Plastibell technique: Experience from a single facility in Pakistan

BackgroundGlobally, millions of circumcisions are performed annually by both medical and non-medical providers, with minor and major adverse outcomes. Short-term outcomes are well documented but there are limited reports of long-term, group-based assessments after Plastibell circumcision of infants. Through this study, we aim to assess the rate and types of late complications in the group of boys circumcised as part of Safe Circumcision Program (SCP) in Karachi, Pakistan, to document the safety of our technique and approach in the long-term. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on male infants circumcised via Plastibell technique as part of the SCP from June 2016 to May 2021. A sample size of 602 was calculated using OpenEpi. After obtaining consent, telephone interviews of parents/guardians were conducted by health workers using a structured questionnaire. All complications reported by parents and identified by health workers were documented, and the babies were then referred to a pediatric surgeon for review. ResultsParents of 46 (7.5%) children reported a total of 81 concerns. After health worker assessment, 20 babies were referred to a specialist for in-person review and complications were documented in four (adhesion, inclusion cyst, skin bridge and meatal stenosis); thus, a late complication rate of 0.7% was recorded. ConclusionThe long-term complication rate for Plastibell circumcisions performed by trained providers is less than 1% with all reported complications minor and amenable to surgical correction.

Enhancing project management graduates’ employability through group assessment innovations: An empirical study

This study validates the recommendations proposed by Tumpa et al. (2022a) for designing authentic group-based assessments in order to improve the work-ready attributes of project management graduates. The study aims to address the concerns of employers who have reported dissatisfaction with the employability skills of project management graduates. Two focus groups, comprising of fifteen project management academics from Australian and UK universities, were conducted to gather data for this study. The findings of the focus groups not only validated the majority of the recommendations but also provided new insights into the design and administration of group-based assessments for project management education. The study sought to contribute to the improvement of skills of project management graduates by providing a valid and authentic approach to group assessment design for project management academics to use. The implications of this study are that it provides an evidence-based framework for designing group-based assessments, which in turn will benefit both the graduates and the employers.

SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES OF THEIR TEACHERS’ GROUP WORK ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

Group work is an educational tool designed to develop learners’ cognitive and social skills at different levels of education across various subjects. We felt that it is important to see learners’ perspectives of group work assessment as they are clients that stay with teachers the whole year. To this effect, the study aimed to examine grades 11 and 12 students’ perspectives of their teachers' group work assessment practices in Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional State (SNNPRS), Ethiopia. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design as the purpose of the study was to survey and describe the assessment practices. To achieve this, 270 students were selected with a systematic random sampling technique for a questionnaire survey. However, only 212 students filled the questionnaire properly. To examine whether the expected mean values were statistically significant or not as compared to the observed mean scores at both an item and scale levels, a one-sample t-test was applied. The results showed that the assessment of group work focuses on the assessment of group product with little consideration of group process and individual contribution to the group work. Besides, the teachers used to employ limited groupbased assessment tools such as group presentations, written group reports, and paper-pencil tests (tests, quizzes, examinations) which are aligned with the assessment of group product while tools that may foster group process and individual accountability like individual written reports, presentations, portfolios, demonstrations, and debates were inadequately used. Based on the findings, it was recommended that SNNPRS Education Bureau has to organize induction for teachers on group work assessment skills. Keywords: assessment practice; assessment tool; group assessment; group process; group outcome

Activistic citizenship in nursing homes: co-ownership in the mundane.

The traditional narrative of dementia, focused on cognition as constructive of personhood, has been challenged by person-centred care as well as a rights-based citizenship lens. However, reports of everyday discrimination leading to occupational deprivation and pathologising interpretations of people living with dementia in nursing homes highlight the need for further investigation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the transformative power of mundane and relational enactments of citizenship in nursing homes, exploring the potential of adding an activistic lens of citizenship to our interpretive practices. Through an ethnographic study in Norwegian nursing homes, a narrative analysis of fieldnotes and interview transcripts was conducted. Narratives were interpreted using narrative theory, occupational perspectives and theories of citizenship. Findings reveal a phenomenon of shared ownership between residents and staff, and a vulnerable balance between silence and active social and occupational engagement in the nursing homes. Further, they shed light on how group-based assessments of residents' abilities or occupational needs may constrain opportunities, and staffs' options, to facilitate co-ownership. We suggest that a lens of activistic citizenship implies interpreting residents' behaviours as mundane forms of subtle resistance. A professional and ethical responsibility building on such interpretive practices may turn attention towards structures that constrain residents' expressions of citizenship.

Promoting adherence to stroke secondary prevention behaviours by imparting behaviour change skills: protocol for a single-arm pilot trial of Living Well After Stroke

IntroductionSurvivors of stroke have an elevated risk of recurrent stroke. Prompt intervention to support healthy lifestyle modification following an initial stroke is crucial for effective secondary prevention of stroke. However,...

A Holistic Overview of Studies to Improve Group-Based Assessments in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

There is a soaring demand for work-ready graduates who can quickly adapt to an ever-challenging work environment. Group-based assessments have been widely recommended as a means to develop the skills required for the world of work. However, group-based assessments are perceived as challenging for both students and educators. This systematic literature review (SLR), based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), focuses on analyzing and synthesizing the existing literature on group-based assessments. A four-step approach was undertaken in order to conduct this research. The SLR identified 71 relevant articles, analyzed using thematic analysis with the aid of NVivo software. An open coding approach was adopted to generate codes. The validity of the SLR process and the reliability of the research tool were maintained through the use of trustworthiness. The findings identified dominant themes such as self- and peer evaluations, training students for group work assessments, group formation, group size, and the role of academics and technology in facilitating group processes. The outcomes of this review contribute significantly to the design and administration of group-based assessments in higher education by providing academics with practical guidelines to effectively facilitate group-based assessments which fit the purpose.

Authentic Design and Administration of Group-Based Assessments to Improve the Job-Readiness of Project Management Graduates

Group-based assessments have been recognized as one of the ways of developing work-ready attributes in project management graduates. This paper is aimed at exploring the best practices for improving the administration process of group-based assessments to make it fit for purpose. The study adopted a systematic literature review and 22 semi-structured interviews with project management academics in higher education. The study found that teams should be small in size and formed by the faculty. Tasks should be based on a real-world context and be sufficiently challenging for students. The group should create a team charter to establish expectations and ground rules for group members. Group assessments should include team member peer evaluations and oral presentations to curb social loafing. Academics should be actively involved in giving regular feedback, training students about teamwork, and communicating their expectations to students. The study findings are useful to inform project management academics about the design and administration characteristics that need to be considered to achieve the ultimate purpose of group-based assessments in polishing the job-readiness attributes of project management graduates.

Addressing the Social Loafing Problem in Assessment Practices from the Perspectives of Tanzania’s Pre-service Teachers

Recent developments of higher teacher education in Tanzania have witnessed high student enrolments necessitating change of an emphasis from individual assessment to group-based assessment practices. In this context, informed by the constructivist philosophical perspective, this article reports on the pre-service teachers’ voices regarding the prevalence, impacts and counteractive strategies of social loafing. The pre-service teachers are drawn from one higher education institution in Tanzania that serves as a case study. It draws on qualitative data collected from a sample of purposively selected undergraduate pre-service teachers. The study found social loafing tendencies to be commonplace and with far-reaching consequences amongst students as they engaged in group-based assessment tasks, hence calling for measures to redress them. Addressing social loafing in higher teacher education is crucial to avoid compromising the quality of assessment practices in the contexts of ever-rising student enrolments in many lower income countries

CrossQuestion Game: A Group-Based Assessment for Gamified Flipped Classroom Experience Using the ARCS Model

The importance of formal online education has been felt like never before because of the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers and academics are continuously experimenting with combinations of established pedagogies, tools, and technologies to enhance or sustain the student learning process and motivation. For this study, we have designed and developed a multi-player game called CrossQuestion to explore the combined effect of applying gamification and flipped classroom pedagogies using the ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) model guidelines and its application in the obligatory IT foundation online course during the pandemic. We delivered this course to 79 undergraduate (mostly) non-IT students in Ajman University, UAE. Students were randomly divided into a non-gamified cohort (35 students gone through lecture-based instructions and paper-based assessments–Spring 2019-20–pre-COVID-19 face to face environment) and a gamified flipped classroom cohort (44 students, played the CrossQuestion game–Spring 2020-21–during COVID-19 online environment). We collected the survey data anonymously through our customized Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) tool and then performed descriptive analysis, t-test, and regression analysis to address the research hypothesis. We found a significant relationship between learning motivational factors and learning effectiveness. We also found the positive influence of our game on students’ motivation.

CrossQuestion Game: A Design of a Group-Based Assessment Tool to Enhance Student Motivation during Pandemic

This paper explores the effect of applying gamification and flipped classroom approaches through our group-based assessment game, the CrossQuestion, in the course of IT in Business. The course teaches basic IT fundamentals and their application in different functional areas of business and management. In Spring 2020-21, we delivered this course through Moodle platform, integrated with the Zoom video communication tool, to introduce the CrossQuestion game as supplemental resources to engage students. We conducted measurements using the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey scales to verify the game's learning effect. We divided students into an experimental group (85 students who played the CrossQuestion game through gamified flipped classroom session–Spring 2020-21) and a control group (60 students who previously underwent lecture-based instructions and individualized formal assessments–Spring 2019-20). The analysis of students’ grades confirms improvement by applying gamified flipped classroom group-based assessments in the learning process. The students’ questionnaire also confirms that group-based assessments can improve students’ motivation. We developed a game system that was attractive to the students, implying that it can be an effective instructional and recreational material to boost morale, increase collaboration, enhance engagement and socialization opportunities, especially during this challenging pandemic.

Group-based Assessments and Project Management Education: Towards a Dynamic Framework with Best Practices

Group-based Assessments and Project Management Education: Towards a Dynamic Framework with Best Practices

A flexible, group-based assessment strategy for Historically Black College and University pharmacy students

Background and purposeHistorically Black College and University (HBCU) students often have diverse educational backgrounds and learning needs. We describe the implementation of a group-based assessment (GBA) strategy within a pharmacotherapy course at a HBCU. Educational activity and settingNinety second-year pharmacy students participated in the study, completing eight formative GBAs, two summative exams, and a demographic questionnaire. In this study, GBAs were administered as post-assessments after each topic and prior to an exam. Our pilot study sought to describe mean GBA scores in relation to summative exam performance. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics. FindingsThe majority of students were female (61%), identified as either African American (37.8%) or East Asian (35.5%) descent, and claimed English as a second language. The preliminary analysis described student performance levels on Exam 1 and Exam 2 and means of each corresponding GBA. There was a general upward trend in GBA mean scores across the majority of exam performance levels with the exception of GBA 6. GBAs 1 through 4 had the lowest mean scores across all Exam 1 performance levels. SummaryThis pilot study described a flexible group-based assessment format that encouraged student-paced learning among HBCU students. Frequent GBA may act as an early-warning system for these students and can engage students earlier in the course to improve academic performance on major exams. Future studies with a larger number of subjects are needed to validate the use of this GBA strategy in similar settings.

Social loafing in group-based learning: student-created and instructor-created group perspectives

PurposeSocial loafing is a key inhibitor in group-based student learning and is a key challenge in administering group-based assessments in higher education. This study examines differences in the effects of antecedents of social loafing (disruptive behaviour, social disconnectedness and apathy) on work quality by comparing student-created and instructor-created groups. The study also investigates how group members' efforts to “pick up the slack” of social loafers in the two kinds of groups moderate the effect of antecedents of social loafing on work quality.Design/methodology/approachPost-graduate students from two different sessions of the Marketing Management unit participated in the study: 95 students from session 1 and 90 students from session 2. One session represented student-created groups and the other session represented instructor-created groups. Each group consisted of five students. Partial Least Square (PLS) estimation using SmartPLS was used to assess the direct and interaction effects.FindingsThe results indicate differences in the effects of the antecedents of social loafing such as apathy and disruptive behaviour on work quality for both student-created and instructor-created groups. Social disconnectedness was found to have no significant effect on work quality. Interestingly, the study found significant differences in the effects of “pick up the slack” on the work quality of student-created and instructor-created groups. Members of student-created groups who picked up the slack of social loafers improved the work quality for unit assessment. This effect was not significant for instructor-created groups.Originality/valueExtant literature on social loafing predominantly focusses on its effect on students' work quality and educational achievement. This study contributes to the literature by investigating how the student-created and instructor-created group members' efforts to pick up the slack of social loafers moderate the effects of the antecedents of social loafing on work quality.

Embedding compassionate micro skills of communication in higher education: Implementation with psychology undergraduates

Many students struggle with group-based assessments. The pedagogic approach of the ‘compassionate micro skills of communication’ (CMSC) aims to equip students with the skills necessary to work effectively in group settings. To this end, students studying on a core psychology module involving group-work, received structured CMSC learning in seminars. Following its implementation, analysis of data from four student and one staff focus groups, using thematic analysis, indicated support for the pedagogic approach. Four themes emerged: the use of CMSC for addressing unhelpful group behaviours; employing helpful group behaviours; enhancing inclusivity; and areas for CMSC improvement and roll out. Quantitative data collection is still on-going and will be reported elsewhere. However, our preliminary analysis of the qualitative data provides good support for utilising a CMSC pedagogic approach in Higher Education regarding both its efficacy and potential positive impact.

Expected Versus Real Effects and Challenges of Urbanization in Albania During the Transition: A Focus Group-Based Assessment

This paper focuses on learning about the characteristics, effects, and challenges of the urbanization in Albania during transition. Key research point involves assessing how much effective urbanization was. Focus group discussion was the research method used. Major findings about the urbanization in Albania are: an unplanned process, weak and incomplete legislation, weak public management capacities, conflict, and widespread informality. Reduction of poverty and unemployment are positive effects, but a significant gap exists between expected and real effects (-4 and -3.9, for employment and poverty). Disappointing is an effect on education quality and climate for private business activities. In general, negative effects out-passed significantly the expected ones by 2.6 points. Major negative effects are increased crime, congestion and pollution, reduced green area, loss of family bonds, and some loss of traditions and rural values. Major challenges in the future include efficient management of land, improving quality of education, reduction of informality and illegal economic activity, and guaranteeing land property rights. In conclusion, urbanization in Albania was a deficient process. This is with positive effects and also with harsh negative consequences and tough challenges ahead. Managerial and policy recommendations, and propositions for further research, are provided at the end of the study.

Member Reactions to Social Loafers When Doing Group-Based Assignments: A Group Processes Perspective

Understanding how student teachers undertake their group work may provide solid foundation for developing essential skills required for the 21st Century teachers, and subsequently help improve group-based assessment in higher education. However, social loafing has been found to interfere with this assessment mode. This article reports on undergraduate student teachers’ reactions to social loafers when working on group assignments as part of their continuous assessment. It focuses on how they go about doing their group work and react to the social loafers. The data were collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews from 18 purposefully and conveniently selected participants. The findings have indicated procedures that students observe in doing their group assignments such as formulation of own group norms and rules, and holding of meetings for the work being determined by the nature of the assignments, and their submission deadlines. Additionally, it has been found that group members employ humanitarian, punitive and threatening approaches as they react to social loafers. The article concludes that proper planning for students’ group assignments is important and; both instructors and students should play their roles accordingly to overcome the problem of social loafing when the use of group-based assessments is indispensable within higher education contexts.

Development of the Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness (Org-HLR) self-assessment tool and process

BackgroundThe World Health Organization describes health literacy as a critical determinant of health and driver of citizen empowerment and health equity. Several studies have shown that health literacy is associated with a range of socioeconomic factors including educational attainment, financial position and ethnicity. The complexity of the health system influences how well a person is able to engage with information and services. Health organisations can empower the populations they serve and address inequity by ensuring they are health literacy responsive. The aim of this study was to develop the Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness self-assessment tool (Org-HLR Tool), and an assessment process to support organisations with application of the tool.MethodsA co-design workshop with health and social service professionals was undertaken to inform the structure of the tool and assessment process. Participants critiqued existing self-assessment tools and discussed the likely utility of the data they generate. A review of widely used organisational performance assessment tools informed the structure and self-assessment process. The Organisational Health Literacy Responsiveness (Org-HLR) Framework (with seven domains/24 sub-domains) provided the structure for the assessment dimensions of the tool. The performance indicators were drawn from raw data collected during development of the Org-HLR Framework.ResultsTwenty-two professionals participated in the workshop. Based on the feedback provided and a review of existing tools, a multi-stage, group-based assessment process for implementing the Org-HLR Tool was developed. The assessment process was divided into three parts; i) reflection; ii) self-rating; and iii) priority setting, each supported by a corresponding tool. The self-rating tool, consistent with the Org-HLR Framework, was divided into: External policy and funding environment; Leadership and culture; Systems, processes and policies; Access to services and programs; Community engagement and partnerships; Communication practices and standards; Workforce. Each of these had 1 to 5 sub-dimensions (24 in total), and 135 performance indicators.ConclusionsThe Org-HLR Tool and assessment process were developed to address a gap in available tools to support organisations to assess their health literacy responsiveness, and prioritise and plan their quality improvement activities. The tool is currently in the field for further utility and acceptability testing.

Professional Development in Higher Education

Abstract The University of Debrecen is a participant of the PETRA project (Promoting Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Azerbaijani Universities) with the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, University of Applied Sciences Vienna, Austria, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. The aim of the project is promoting of teaching and learning excellence in Azerbaijan Universities, by supporting the professional development in higher education and, in the academic community. For this reason, the program wants to enhance the usage of technology and innovative forms of teaching, to provide support for designing courses and for choosing and using diverse approaches in assessment. The purpose of this study is to identify the possibilities of promoting the professional development in higher education and to explore the theoretical landscape: the roles and implications of the professional development. This paper explores the connections between the reflective behaviour of the teachers and their assessment methods and wants to provide new approaches to assessment in the context of the institutional strategies of the higher education. This paper argues for innovative forms of assessment such as the portfolios in teacher preparation or the group-based assessment forms - as methods of promoting higher quality learning. The study investigates the ways towards the autonomous assessment in the higher education, using self-assessment and peer assessment.

The Group-based Assessment Approach in Nursing Education: The Perspective of Nursing Students on Group-based Assessment Process at a Namibian University

Group-based assessments used in the Bachelor of Nursing Science (clinical) Honours programme at a public university in Namibia are usually in the form of assignments and projects. Completing tasks in groups helps students to develop important skills like critical thinking and debating. In addition, it prepares them to work in the health-care environment where collaboration with others is required. That said, nursing students lack cooperation during the process of completing their group assignments or projects. A classroom-based research was conducted using action research as the design. The objectives were to: explore what is causing lack of cooperation during group-based assessment as perceived by nursing students, and to propose, implement and evaluate measures to improve cooperation during group-based assessment task completion. Themes that emerged as factors contributing to a lack of cooperation are: student motivation, student personal characteristics, lack of planning to approach the allocated task, student learning approaches, communication-related issues, and group composition and allocation procedures. The proposed measures of students to ensure cooperation are: selection of group leaders, determining lecturer roles in facilitating group assessment, improving communication, and involvement of students in the allocation procedures of group members.All suggestions were successfully implemented. Evaluation of measures to ensure cooperation revealed that students appreciated the group-based approach strategy given its very positive impact on their learning.

Genetic risk assessment from an ethical point of view

This contribution provides analyses of four ethically problematic issues in genetic risk assessment and management. First, should we require a positive risk-benefit balance for each concerned individual, or is it sufficient that the total sum of benefits outweighs the total sum of risks? Secondly, should sensitive groups have special protection, and in that case with what types of measures? Thirdly, what types of measures should be taken to protect against the risks associated with teratogenic, embryotoxic and foetotoxic agents? Fourthly, how should we deal with the new issues relating to equity and to group-based risk assessment that genomic medicine gives rise to?