Institutional policies on assessing group work: cautions, caveats and constraints

This study investigates whether assessment policies in Australian universities promote sustainable and innovative group assessment practice. There is an acceptance of the critical importance of teamwork and collaborative learning, as well as the need to conduct assessment in this area with validity and reliability. The study is based on an analysis of thirty-nine assessment policies from Australian universities. Despite occasional policies that present a positive rationale and valuing of collaboration amongst students, proactive teaching around group dynamics, appropriate assessment design, institutional resources and staff support around group assessment, the overwhelming perspective is a preoccupation with the negative aspects of group assessment rather than its possibilities. In the process of policy analysis, positive drivers of sustainable and innovative assessment have been identified.