The PHAR3102-Molecular Pharmacology “collaborative learning sessions” used a flipped classroom and peer-teaching approach. A flipped classroom is a pedagogical mode where students gain first exposure to new material outside of class and then class time is used for assimilating that knowledge through strategies such as problem-solving and team discussion. The students are introduced to molecular techniques used in pharmacology by reading an information sheet prepared by one of the student teams prior to the class and their deeper understanding of each technique is facilitated by learning activities developed by the student team leading the collaborative learning session. The information sheets are produced by each team. In 2009 and 2010 the information sheet was submitted as a word document. From 2011 a wiki platform within the learning management system has been used (2011-13 Blackboard Wiki, 2015 Moodle wiki and 2015 OU wiki). The switch to a wiki platform to produce the information sheet allowed for the assessment of each student’s contribution to writing and editing and trains the students in collaborative writing and editing skills. This collaborative model is reinforced with a marking rubric that includes grades for not just contribution to but also editing of the document. The use of a wiki platform to produce the information sheet also allows for observation over time of group dynamics and opportunities to encourage productive teamwork. Positive feedback has been received from the students on this mode of learning/teaching. The wikis and collaborative learning sessions are regularly quoted as the best feature of the course in the course evaluation (CATEI form A, 2010-2015).
The Issue:
- How to personalise feedback and grading of individual contributions to group working.
2. How to encourage true collaborative writing and editing, not just a stitched-together document of individual sections.
Approach
The overall idea for the flipped classroom peer-teaching mode of delivery of this content came from a teaching unit developed by Amy Hubert and Bridget Jacques-Fricke University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA. (Miller, Jacques-Fricke & Hubert, (2009). A Versatile Module to Improve Understanding of Scientific Literature through Peer Instruction. Journal of College Science Teaching, 39:24-32)
This idea to switch to using a wiki developed from a discussion at an ASCEPT education forum workshop. I was noticing that the students were breaking the task up into parts (I provide headings to help structure the information sheet), each did their own part and they then pasted them together without even really reading the rest of it. This lead to problems such as duplication of information. I wanted a way to encourage (by assigning marks to it) collaborative editing of the document, the wiki with its edit history allows me to see what each student contributes.