Hi all,
This is my response to Michael Sweet.
Stay well
Michael Gholam
Lebanon
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Gholam [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 1:33 AM
To: 'Sweet, Michael S'
Subject: RE: Peer Evaluations ("Hold the Peevishness!")
Hi Michael,
I like your way of dodging the "Peevishness and gaming the system", but the
fact remains that all will decide to give each other "positive"
"appreciations and requests" knowing that would lead to your bump. If
students want to game the system, they will. It is a matter of personal
integrity. Besides, I would forfeit upgrading or downgrading the group
performance grade if I informally find that the points given to one member
do not "correlate" with the progress as seen by their individual RAT's. If I
see equal grades allocated to all and collective improvement in individual
scores, I would consider giving the exact group grade to all. I am not
saying that correlating iRat's with points allocated to each individual is
the perfect solution, but it can be an indicator. I also would observe from
time to time how groups are wprking at application tasks or a culminating
group task, and also conduct an informal corroborative investigation.
Michael Gholam
Lebanon
-----Original Message-----
From: Team Learning Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Sweet, Michael S
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 12:54 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Peer Evaluations ("Hold the Peevishness!")
We don't have students give each other points anymore, just written
feedback.
BUT we have figured out a way to keep peer evaluations at the forefront of
their minds while avoiding the peevishness and "gaming the system" that can
arise when you have them distribute points to each other.
Instead of points, we have them provide anonymous "appreciations and
requests" twice during the semester. (Each student provides at least one
"appreciation" and one "request" for each of their team-mates.) These are
then fed-back to the students anonymously, as most people do it.
BUT we introduce the peer evaluations at the beginning of the semester by
saying:
"At the end of the semester, I often have students come to my office and say
'I am so close to the next grade up--is there anything I can do for extra
credit to bump me up?'
I tell them 'No, but I will look at your peer evaluation feedback. If the
appreciations and requests are all positive or started out rough and
improved, then I will give you that bump. If not, then, nope--sorry, nothing
to be done."
The beauty of this is that none of the students know whether they will be
candidates for a "bump" until the very end of the term, so they are on good
behavior for the entirety of the course while still getting the important
group process information in the form of "appreciations" and "requests."
-M
________________________________
From: Team Learning Discussion List on behalf of Kubitz, Karla
Sent: Wed 1/24/2007 1:48 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Forced Ranking in Peer Evaluation
For what it's worth, I've found it helpful to put the following statement on
the back of the peer evaluation form (Michaelsen's version) and ask them to
sign it.
I hereby certify that I have provided an honest assessment of the
contribution of my teammates to our team's productivity. My team
maintenance scores are not based on any 'in or out-of-class' agreements
among my teammates and myself to distribute points in a particular way
(i.e., a way that does not consider the quality or quantity of individual
efforts).
Karla Kubitz
________________________________
From: Team Learning Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Maureen Jonason
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 12:41 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Forced Ranking in Peer Evaluation
I usually do not tell students about this ahead of time. They read it to
themselves on the last day of class and figure it out and quietly do what I
ask. In the past, I made the mistake of giving the team evals out to fill
out outside of class. One team simply ignored me and gave everyone equal
scores. Another team cleverly figured out a way to give equal points by each
agreeing to make one of the others the low-pointer and, so they all ended up
with equal scores anyway! I had to give them credit on that one. I am not
bothered by rule-breaking, so I accepted their decisions/choices. AS others
have pointed out, if the teams bond and everyone does truly contribute
equally in their view, then the lesson has been learned. usually, when there
is clearly someone who does less work, they are more than happy to give
points accordingly.
________________________________
From: Team Learning Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Don McCormick
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 11:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Forced Ranking in Peer Evaluation
Hi TBLers
I teach management and I used the peer evaluation form that requires
students to rate their peers and give at least one a "9" (which is one below
average) and one "11" (which is one above average). When I announced it last
night, the class exploded in a revolt, objecting that it wasn't fair because
"in my group everyone did an equally good job of contributing," they
couldn't figure out a basis for rating others one way or another, etc.
I know the form says "If you give everyone pretty much the same score you
will be hurting those who did the most and helping those who did the least,
" but I also am sympathetic to the students' point of view.
I understand the reason given above for forcing some minimal ranking and I
also realize that students are often terrified of giving negative feedback
to other students. I want to help them learn to overcome this fear because
they need to learn how to give negative feedback in the workplace. If they
don't learn to do this, they will truly suck as managers. But it isn't clear
that in the cases where they genuinely feel each person in their group has
contributed equally how forced ranking will help them learn this.
Is there more to the requirement of forced ranking that I am missing? From
your point of view, what is the learning objective that this helps students
to meet?
- Don
---
Don McCormick
Department of Management
College of Business and Economics
California State University Northridge
https://www.csun.edu/~dmccormick/Don%20McCormick/Home.html
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