Choose Your Self-Assessment
Self-Assessing your Participation in FLO
One of the practical aspects of teaching and learning online is assessing participation. It's an important topic, and so we're going to "bookend" the FLO with it as follows:
- At the beginning, you should choose a rubric, or develop a method and criteria, to guide your self-assessment of your own participation in the course. Share your method as part of your weekly journal nugget for Week 1.
- Throughout the course, you will self-assess your participation using your method (consider sharing your learning as part of your weekly journal "nuggets").
- At the end, there will be a mini-session on assessment, facilitated by ISWo participants. This will give you a chance to dig deeper and make plans for your future work online.
Using Rubrics for (self) assessing participation
You are invited to choose one of the following options (if you want to use a rubric):
- Use the rubric provided (below) – or modify it to suit your needs
- Find one and use it – there are LOTS in the readings, and you can find many of them online (a simple Google search will bring up lots of options)
- Create one of your own
Above all…!
Consider both the quantity and quality of your contributions.The quality of your contribution is more important than the length of each posting. In terms of quality did you— help solve a problem? lend support? challenge an idea? offer some alternatives? come up with a creative solution? ask good questions? Assist someone in clarifying his or her ideas? give examples from your personal experience? contribute solid evidence to support your opinion? show respect? acknowledge and affirm someone else's ideas? bring a derailing dialogue back on track? In terms of quantity did you — dominate the discussion or remain too silent? explain yourself well? give good examples? respond to others as well as making your own comments? Ask yourself whether you did your best to engage the topic and your peers in a productive dialogue! Adapted from: Generating and Facilitating Engaging and Effective Online Discussions |
Sample Rubric for self-assessing participation
You may download the pdf or word doc to modify. You may wish to assess yourself weekly.
| Criterion | 1 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Promptness & Initiative Contributions are timely, and consistent | 1 posting, at the beginning or end of the week | 1-2 postings checking in at beginning or end of the week. Responses come several days after discussion | 3+ postings Responds to others' within 24 hours | 3+ postings at different points throughout the week (daily, every other day). Consistently responds to others in 24 hours or less |
| Relevance Contributions respond to the topic(s) at hand and demonstrate understanding from the unit's readings & resources | Posts don't relate to discussion content or course resources – remarks are short and/or off-topic | Post are mostly off topic, short, and don't tend to offer new insight. Most posts are unrelated to resources | Posts are generally on topic, and prompt further discussion. It's clear that the readings were understood and incorporated into responses | Consistently posts on-topic messages, demonstrates understanding of readings and takes discussion to a deeper level by asking questions or drawing conclusions. Often cites additional (related) references |
| Learning Community Contributions make a positive impact on the Learning Community, and others' learning. | Posts rarely acknowledge or refer to others' contributions. (posts in a vacuum, does not make effort to participate in learning community as it develops) | Some attempt to acknowledge and respond to others' contributions, though may take the form of "I agree with (person)" and don't go much further. Occasionally makes meaningful reflection on group's efforts; marginal effort to become involved with group |
Posts usually acknowledge others' contributions and some attempt is made to advance the discussion. Frequently directs discussion and to present relevant viewpoints for consideration by group; interacts freely |
Postings contribute substantially and frequently to others' learning by weaving together ideas and extending them. Asks good questions. Aware of needs of community; frequently attempts to motivate the group discussion; presents creative approaches to topic |
Adapted from: If You Build It, They Will Come: Building Learning Communities Through Threaded Discussions