Designing and managing group assessment

When designing group work assessment, carefully consider the following:

• Clear objectives and outcomes: Align the assessment task with the subject and course learning outcomes. Begin by defining what students will learn and achieve through the group task. This will ensure the assessment is constructively aligned with the subject and course goals, and supports both students and teaching staff in focusing on the intended knowledge and skills. 
• Meaningful and engaging tasks: Ensure that the assessment is directly related to the subject content and applicable to real-world scenarios, to ensure its relevance and appeal for students. Tasks that are interesting and closely related to students’ future careers encourage deeper learning and promote collaboration (Tumpa et al., 2022). 
• Manageable workload: Tasks should be complex enough to require collaboration but manageable and achievable within the available time and resources. A well-designed group task can also help to reduce the marking load for staff, especially when dealing with large cohorts. Using digital tools, such as the FeedbackFruits suite, may assist in managing group work tasks. 

Group-based assessments should evaluate both the product (e.g., essay report, oral presentation, video) and the process (e.g., teamwork, communication) (Tumpa et al., 2022).

A high-quality product is important for helping a student achieve a high grade, but grading the product alone may not reveal how well individual students contributed toward the final product.

When considering how to evaluate group member contributions to the process, it is helpful to start with your subject's learning outcomes. There are several key aspects in the process that relate to how students approach and manage the challenges of the assessment. Consider the following:

• Collaboration and communication:

• • How well does the group work together?
  • What expectations are in place to ensure that the interpersonal and intergroup communications are inclusive, respectful, and effective?
  • Is there a communication and collaboration plan in place so that all group members understand how, when and where they will communicate?
  • Were tasks and roles distributed fairly?
  • Is there a procedure in place to raise and address concerns?

• Giving and accepting feedback and support:

• • How open were they to each other in giving and accepting support?  
  • How well did they receive feedback given by peers?

• Problem-solving: 

• • Did they demonstrate effective problem-solving skills to manage and resolve difficulties and challenges? 

• Project management: 

• • Did they set and meet timelines and milestones for the project?

Once your group assessment has been designed, the next step is to implement it effectively.

Consider the following to implement a group assessment successfully.

• Creating groups: Consider the grouping carefully to foster inclusivity and exposure to diverse perspectives. According to the UOW Assessment and Feedback Policy (2025, clause 41), group formations should maximise the opportunity to promote diversity and inclusion.
• Manageable group size: Small groups may lack the diverse strengths needed for a detailed project, while large groups might struggle with reaching consensus and managing logistics. There is no set rule for the optimum number of students per group but you should consider the nature of the task and aim for groups of 4–5 students. 
• Well-defined roles and responsibilities: Support students to establish clear roles within their groups to ensure each member understands their specific tasks and how they contribute to the overall project. This can promotes accountability, and ensures a fair distribution of the workload. 
• Effective communication: Encourage students to agree on the most suitable communication channels for their groups. This practice fosters regular interaction, enabling students to share ideas, provide feedback, and resolve conflicts collaboratively.
• Scaffolding: Provide ongoing guidance and scaffolding throughout the assessment to help students navigate challenges and complete key milestones on time. This may include regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and access to resources.
• Submission guidance: Use class time and the Moodle site to provide clear guidance and instructions for submitting the group task. This ensures students can organise for one student to submit the task on behalf of the group. 

The UOW Assessment Feedback Policy (2025, clases 39-40), states that group assessments “must be assessed in ways that determine each member's contribution,” and that “processes must be in place to address unequal participation or conflicts within the group.”

The Evaluating group member contributions article details the process for giving each student a group mark, with adjustments made based on individual contributions.