The evaluation is done by both the teacher and the students.

Assessment by the teacher

The teacher evaluates:

• Team functioning (ability to cope, behavior, order, cleanliness, organization, quietness) and this is done by observing the teams during the laboratory exercise
• Theoretical knowledge and this is done with one or more questions addressed to each team during the laboratory exercise
• Practical skills and this is done by observing students while they are working
• The answers to the team worksheet, which is completed by the secretary of the team and delivered to the teacher

Evaluation by students

Each student evaluates himself (self-evaluation) and the other members of the team with regard to:

• their ability to cooperate within the team
• the level of participation and contribution to the final product

Is evaluation individual or collective?

In applying the team-cooperative teaching, a multi-evaluation model is proposed which provides:

• student’s individual evaluation
• team evaluation

Team Evaluation

Students deliver their evaluations to the secretary, who extracts the average for each student and a final average for the whole team and hand them over to the teacher.

Ηow will the evaluation be made?

• Written exams
  Incompatibility between evaluation methodology and laboratory activities
• Performing similar or the same laboratory exercise
  Difficult to apply to everyday school practice, expensive and time-consuming
• No evaluation
  Degrades the matter

Anything done at school serves some pedagogical objectives and therefore needs to be evaluated.

1. How many students will form a team?

• The number of children in each group is dictated mainly by the objectives, the nature of the educational process and the logistics infrastructure
• Surveys have shown that the best number is 4 students
• A group of 3 usually ends up in a pair that cooperates closely, leaving out the 3rd person of the team
• In a group of 3 people there are 3 communication paths, in a group of 4 there are 6
• In groups of 5 and over, the number of communication paths increases, but there is a problem in involving all students

2. By what criteria will the teams be formed?

Students are divided into 4, equivalent to each other, but internally heterogeneous groups, based on 4 criteria:

• sociogram
• performance
• sex
• nationality 

__________ (+) Positive selection

—————- (-) Negative selection

Sociogram of a class with 13 students

Are there specific students’ working methods within the team?

The jigsaw method, which is translated in Greek as a content-sharing method, consists of dividing content and targets into smaller pieces. Each student has to be prepared for one of these pieces and teach it to the other members of his team. Many suggest that this method is used to teach natural sciences because it has the following advantages:

• The student investigates a topic in depth and specializes in it
• The student learns by teaching his classmates as an “expert”
• Dialogue and discussion among team members creates a favorable learning environment (social constructivism)

Summary of Steps

The teacher works as follows:

Stage A: Introductory preparation

• Collects the sociogram data
• Divides students into teams based on the sociogram data
• Defines the roles of team members

Stage B: Informing students:

• Gives the necessary in his/her opinion information about his/her reasoning on the composition of the teams with as much discretion as possible
• Informs of the team members’ duties and responsibilities
• Notifies of how to evaluate

Stage C: Exercise:

• Supervises the smooth running of teams while working
• Answers to questions asked by the team coordinator
• Approaches teams and asks questions
• Observes, notes and evaluates the good functioning of the teams

The teacher is the one who assigns the specific roles to the members of the team.

• So, students develop skills related to the specific roles
• If students were to choose the roles on their own, then each would choose the one which he/she found easier and the possibility to approach any other would be lost

The roles change rotationally and each time each member of the team takes on a new role. What are these roles and what are the tasks arising from them?

For teams in the science lab it is proposed that the following roles are defined:

The team coordinator’s tasks are:

• Distributing the material for study that corresponds to each member of the team
• Taking care of the overall coordination of the group i.e. the sequence of students’ involvement in the process
• Ensuring that everything is on schedule
• Collecting the group’s questions and issuing them to the teacher and in general, he/she is the communication channel between the team and the teacher

The specialist’s in handling instruments and devices tasks are:

• Participating in the team of experts (one from each team) in which the teacher teaches the handling of devices such as the pH meter or the assembly of the titration layout
• Teaching his/her classmates what he/she has learned and helping them when needed

The secretary’s duties are:

• Making the necessary calculations
• Completing the worksheet and deliver it to the teacher
• Gathering the evaluation from the team’s internal evaluation, extracting the averages and delivering the result of the evaluation to the teacher

The formulator’s tasks are:

• Ensuring that there are the necessary instruments and reagents on the laboratory bench
• Caring for the cleanliness and order on the lab bench
• Responsibility for delivering the instruments and devices in good condition after the end of the laboratory exercise

https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/shutel/2014/10/06/problem-based-learning-an-approach-to-teaching-and-learning/

https://www.asee.org/public/conferences/8/…/download

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED563985.pdf

https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/12-strategies-teaching-critical-thinking-skills

https://www.teachthought.com/project-based-learning/11-tools-for-better-project-based-learning/

http://www.aishe.org/readings/2005-2/chapter16.pdf

https://content.wisestep.com/problem-based-learning-pbl-advantages-disadvantages/

http://jason-booth.blogspot.gr/2013/02/what-are-strengths-and-weaknesses-of.html

http://integratingtech301.pbworks.com/w/page/20021591/PBL%20Strengths%20and%20Weaknesses%20%28CMJ%29

https://www.york.ac.uk/law/undergraduate/3-year-llb/pbl/

http://www.vln.school.nz/discussion/view/975754

http://www.vln.school.nz/discussion/view/956543

1.    Give guidance through multiple types of Media
2.    Find and use direct feedback on learners’ conclusion
3.    Provide learners options
4.    Automate basic-skills method
5.    Use independent work skills
6.    Design a Weekly “must do” list
7.    Pre-test learners’ experience before each lesson
8.    Be flexible when the program goes wrong
9.    Let learners manage
10.  Share the work of designing various lessons

Important student benefits derive from PBL

Problem-based learning needs active student learning as opposed to traditional passive learning approaches. The significant student benefits derive from PBL are:

• An alternative and pleasant way to learn
• Students learn from other student difficulties
• Can be used to deal with individual and work-related circumstances
• Expertise (by students) with a given subject matter is not needed.
• Efficient way to enhance student participation
• Challenges the beliefs of students about problem-solving & learning
• Complements other learning methods
• Students learn from their backgrounds (self-awareness)
• Adaptable to the knowledge and expertise of a given teacher
• Relieves the monotony of class speeches
• Student-centered
• Can join in detailed or general problem-solving conversations
• Students are encouraged to use various thinking skills
• Includes outcome-based learning
• Students receive prompt feedback
• A simple and exciting process to learn
• Develops the disciplinary breadth and depth of a topic
• Students create more responsibility for their education
• A detailed or complicated way to increase the knowledge of several aspects
• Offers to lifelong learning
• Emphasis on critical thinking
• An interactive learning method

Productive and critical thinking skills are the skills, which can sometimes be used correspondently in the definition. In fact, they have various constructs because they modify in effect of human actions. Also one of the today’s demands is that people should approach everyday obstacles by using both skills. So, one of the efficient tools for development of creativity and critical thinking skills proposed is problem-based learning settings in classrooms.

Creative thinking can be defined as the complete set of cognitive actions used by people according to a specific object, problem and circumstance, or a type of effort toward a particular issue and the difficulty based on the capacity of the people. They try to apply their creativity, knowledge, insight, and ideas when they meet to such situations. Furthermore, they try to recommend a real and modern design, make various data, solve the problem with the advice of exploring and discovering new applications whereby each understands his/her knowledge deficits.  Also, each individual tries to connect this gap while getting new perspectives by looking at the problem from many aspects with the help of making proper connections and taking opportunities based on their insights to produce alternative answers approaching the obstacle or circumstance with great patience and confidence.

Creative thinking is related to critical thinking and problem-solving. There are three dimensions of productive thinking as synthesising, articulation and imagination having the following qualities

• Synthesising: This dimension includes various activities such as getting benefit from analogous thinking, deducing original result from small parts, presenting novel and authentic suggestions to the solution of the problem.

• Articulation: It involves forming the old and new knowledge or expanding the current knowledge with the help of the new one, constructing unusual relationship to produce authentic solutions and making thoughts concrete with the help of imagination and use of the materials.
• Imagination: This dimension is consisted of constructing relationship between valid and reliable thoughts, presenting flexible ways of thought with the help of imagination, to come up with different insights during idea producing process.

Based on the dimensions of the creative thinking, its general features can be summarized as the following.

The theory that only specific characters of people can be productive is demanded thanks to educational developments because creative thinking is not only based on art-based activities such as dance, music, drama, etc., as previously considered. In recent years, creativity has been recognized as common capability that it can be applied in everyday situations. It is interpreted as ability of human intelligence instead of a subject. Sternberg defines creativity as an imaginative action fashioned so as to produce outcomes which are both original and of value.

Furthermore, innovation is necessary rather than originality meaning that “someone’s opinion does not have to remark thinking that has never been considered before by anyone”. This thinking should be unique for that person, not necessarily for society as a whole. According to a set of abilities, creative thinking is different from analytical and practical thinking. Choices and critical evaluations, though, are made by participants and observers as a part of creative process.

• Begin with a Question

That is the most accessible foray into critical thinking. What do you need to search and talk? It shouldn’t be a question that you can answer with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ You need to produce essential issues here. Those are issues that motivate a quest for knowledge and problem-solving.

2. Create a Foundation

Learners can’t think critically if they do not have the information they need. Start any critical thinking test with a display of relevant data. That assures they can recall data pertinent to the problem. These may stem from things similar: reading tasks and other homework past activities or critical thinking practices a video or text. Use the above procedure of questioning to assure students are up to steam

• Advice the Classics

Famous literary works claim challenging stories and extensive characterization. They are an excellent launch pad for critical thinking. Apply them to specific exercises on character motivation, design forecasts, and issue.

4. 4. Creating a Country

How does one design a country from scratch? That could be an excellent project-based learning scenario. It needs satisfactory research to find what really “makes” a country. In that process, learners discover history, geography, politics, and more.

International communication theory

Leave this responsibility open-ended over a several of days or weeks so they can really dig deep.

• Use Information Fluency

Section of critical thinking is to understand when to attempt and when to remove data. Learners need to learn to gather the proper knowledge to notify that thought. Receiving the appropriate value of knowledge is essential to our students’ progress in school and life. It’s about learning how to dig through information to find the most helpful and relevant facts for solving a problem. Critical thinking is very produced in the method of Information Fluency. Need help teaching the process? Learn about it in the free Information Fluency QuickStart Guide.

6. 6.    Use Peer Groups

Digital kids grow in environments where critical thinking skills produce through teamwork and collaboration. Show children their peers are a great source of knowledge, questions, and problem-solving techniques.

7. Try One Sentence

Try this practice: make groups of 8-10 learners. Tell each learner to write one sentence explaining a problem on a piece of paper. The student then gives the paper to the next student. The next student will add their conclusion to the next level in a single sentence. This time, though, that student closes the paper down to hide their sentence. Now only their sentence is visible.

Each time they pass, learners can only see one sentence. They must keep adding the following step of their conclusion. That shows them to home in on a particular second in time. They learn to critically use their experience and logic to explaining themselves as clearly as possible.

So far, the meanings and characteristics of both critical and creative thinking abilities are defined. What can be said about their role in instructional designs concerning typical parts of an instructional design process?

Instructional practices regarded as learning forms including many parts in the means of supporting learning actions. Learning methods and educational theories are the recommended frames in instructional practice. Instructional methods give the framework for developing work in the productive learning environments. An instructional design process has several dimensions as explained in the following Table A.

It begins with the analysis of target learners to arrange the needs of them. Then, context is explained to be able to select particular instructional approach, process and technique. Measurable objectives settled by considering outcome of learner and the context analysis. By using these purposes, instructional strategies are developed to improve the learners’ analytical thinking.

Nevertheless, if the purpose is to encourage the learners to improve their creative thinking skills, the instructional strategy should be selected from the set of presentation, problem-based learning or role-playing activities. If it is to help them develop critical thinking skills, the instructional should be used from the collection of questioning, problem-based learning or discussion actions. Following the delivery of instruction, evaluation methods of purposes might also be one of the developmental assessment techniques so that not only produce but also prepare itself might be assessed. According to Table A, it can be highlighted that problem-based learning method can be blended into instructional strategy order to encourage both critical and creative thinking skills.

Table A.

• Articulate the learning outcomes of the project. What do you want students to understand or be able to do as a result of engaging in the assignment?
• Create the problem. Ideally, this will be a real-world circumstance that resembles something students may meet in their future careers or lives. Cases are often the basis of PBL activities.
• Establish ground rules at the beginning to prepare students to work efficiently in groups.
• Introduce students to group processes and do some warm up exercises to allow them to practice assessing both their own work and that of their peers.
• Suppose having students take on different roles or divide up the work up amongst themselves. Alternatively, the project might require students to examine various perspectives, such as those of government officials, local business owners, etc.
• Establish how you will evaluate and assess the assignment.

A well-design PBL project gives students with the chance to improve abilities related to:

• Working in teams.
• Managing projects and keeping leadership roles.
• Oral and written communication.
• Self-awareness and evaluation of group processes.
• Working independently.
• Critical thinking and analysis.
• Explaining concepts.
• Self-directed learning.
• Applying course content to real-world examples.
• Researching and information literacy.
• Problem solving across disciplines.

1. https://www.thinkingmaps.com/difference-between-thinking-maps-graphic-organizers/
2. https://www.thinkingmaps.com/why-thinking-maps-2/
3. http://www.thinkingmaps.org/
4. https://www.scoe.org/files/AH_maps.pdf
5. http://www.lacfstars.org/tutors/8thinkingmaps
6. https://www.pinterest.com/explore/thinking-maps/?lp=true
7. http://www.dvusd.org/domain/1535
8. https://sites.google.com/site/ausdthink/word-templates-for-thinking-maps
9. http://www.thinkingschool.co.uk/resources/thinkers-toolbox/thinking_maps
10. http://www.nhcs.k12.nc.us/parsley/Curriculum/ThinkingMaps.html
11. http://thesciencepenguin.com/2015/07/science-thinking-maps.html
12. Mind Mapping in Education.
13. Inspiration
14. Using Mind Mapping Tools to Promote Independent Learning and Study Skills
15. Education. Improve Engagement. Raise Student Achievement.
16. 5 Innovative Mind-Mapping Tools For Education
17. Mind Map examples.
18. Education Mind Maps
19. The 5 Best Free Mind Mapping Tools for Teachers and students
20. Thinking Maps
21. In Wikipedia
22. 1000+ ideas about Thinking Maps on Pinterest
23. Thinking Maps – Google Sites
24. Thinking Maps.org. The resusres for teachers using Thinking Maps
25. A Mind Mapping Approach To Your Sketchnotes
26. Mind Mapping Books – the Complete Guide
27. How to use a free mind map software

The purpose of a Flow Map is to practice sequencing skills through stages of an event, ordering information, and steps in a process. A Flow Map can be created horizontally or vertically. Hylerle and Yeager (2007) show “A Flow Map can also be used to show comparisons or degrees. The order of numbers, arranged from smallest to largest, can also be shown in a Flow Map” (p.56). The most common uses for a Flow Map are science, problem solving, and historic events and timelines. Flow Maps are known to increase the non-linguistic representation of their ideas (Hylerle & Yeager, 2007, p.56).

The three map is used for classifying and grouping. This map is used to sort things or ideas, categories or gro

ups. New categories can also be created. There are many sites on the web that can give guidance as to the many uses of how to use the tree map.

These are some examples of how some grade levels used the tree map for different subjects.

The purpose of a Brace Map is to evaluate the parts of a topic. This is conducted through identifying the relationship of the concept as a whole. Hylerle and Yeager (2007) explain “The Brace Map must be used with concrete objects in order to identify the physical parts of the whole object” (p.50). Most of the time Brace Maps are used with nouns (unless when used in math like the picture above). Using Brace Maps in math allows students to visualize the place value of a number. Brace Maps can be used for vocabulary development to break down the word.

What are the similar and different qualities of these things?

What qualities of each thing correspond to one another?

In what way?

Use a Double Bubble map to compare and contrast for example the games of team handball and floor hockey. The Double Bubble examines similar and different qualities.

Circle Maps are tools used to help define a thing or idea. It is used to brainstorm ideas and for showing prior knowledge about a topic. In the centre of the circle, use words, numbers, pictures, or any other sign or symbol to represent the object, person, or idea you are trying to understand or define. In the outside circle, write or draw any information that puts this thing in context. Thinking Map software makes it easy to create a Circle Map. There is no limit to the number of items a student can add to his circle. Students can also create a Circle Map using Kid Pix. Beginning writers can stamp images in the circle.

The Thinking Maps are a common visual language based on FUNDAMENTAL COGNITIVE PROCESS that is transferable across disciplines and among grade levels. Administrators, parents, teachers and students use this toolkit to facilitate content learning, reading comprehension, decision-making, problem-solving, written and verbal communication and knowledge creation. Used together as a language, whole schools apply these graphically and cognitively consistent, flexible tools to support students’ continuous cognitive development through their entire schooling career and to promote the development of a collaborative professional learning community.

Student Successes with Thinking Maps presents eight powerful visual models that boost all learners’ metacognitive and critical thinking skills. Thinking Maps also shows how as this methodology serve as valuable assessment tools. This learning methodology helps students to:

– Organize thoughts

– Examine relationships

– Enhance reasoning skills

– Create connections between subjects

– Engage with content

The visual nature of Thinking Maps helps level the playing field and is ideal for inclusive settings. Additionally, educators have found that using Thinking Maps for professional development can improve teacher performance, build leadership skills, and raise students’ scores on high-stakes tests. If your goal is to transform your school’s culture, Thinking Maps will put you on the road to success.

For students:

• Mind maps are using, because it helps easier to brainstorm and explore any idea, concept or to solve problem.
• Mind map is using to work individually and in group, when group is brainstorming new ideas and to group them;
• Also it helps to understand relationships and connections between different ideas and concepts.
• Mind maps helps to remember the information and main ideas of topics.  It can be used to summarize discussions or create a to-do list.
• Also it is very popular way to make notes and to organize ideas and concepts.
• Break down complex problems and idea into simpler and easy to follow fractals
• Present information in a creative and easy to follow format

Mind mapping helps students to understand and absorb information. Research shows that the use of mind maps increases critical thinking and memory skills, particularly for students who are visual learners.

Mind mapping is a beneficial learning tool to help students brainstorm any topic and think creatively. Mind maps are particularly helpful in the writing process and provide students with a natural way of thinking and building thoughts on a story plot or theme.

For teachers:

In our data-saturated society, the ability to handle large amounts of complex information is extremely important. Visual mapping enables you to manipulate ideas and concepts with great ease and flexibility, helping you represent available information visually in a comprehensive and clear manner. Properly organizing information allows you to easily understand and evaluate existing knowledge and opens the door for effective application of your knowledge. Although the benefits listed in the diagram below focus on teaching and learning, they span far beyond education and include uses in business, meetings, project management, and problem solving.

Mind maps also provide teachers with insight into their students’ thought process regarding a specific topic. By asking students to create mind maps demonstrating their comprehension of a concept, teachers are able to understand what a student’s prior knowledge was and how well the student understands the assignment or the material being taught. This is a very effective way of evaluating students’ understanding.

It is commonly thinking maps used in presentations, critical thinking, brainstorming, decision making and project management.

To create mind map you need very simple things: sheet of paper, coloured pen and pencils, your minds and creativity. The best way to create good mind map is to use different colour for each branch, to use key words and key fraises, use emblems and try to make mind maps attractive.

Many free and proprietary visual mapping programs are available. The most popular free visual mapping programs are XMind, FreeMind, Mind42, and CmapTools. They offer robust feature menus and are compatible with other mapping programs. The most popular propriety programs are Mindjet MindManager, iMindMap, Comapping, MindMapper, and NovaMind. Note that most propriety programs offer a free, 30-day trial period, and often provide reduced purchase prices and special semester-long trial arrangement for teachers and students. For a compilation of all major visual mapping programs, resources, and galleries, visit http://pearltrees.com/conciselearning/1424071.

Coggle

Platforms: Web, Chrome. Very simple mind map tool. Coggle saves your work in the browser just as well. You can get Coggle in 3 version: – Free, Awesome, and Organization. The free version allows you to create unlimited maps, so it should be good enough for your needs. The commercial versions come with features like presentation modes and unlimited private mind maps.

Imindq

Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, online – free.

iMindQ Online is a web application that offers an extraordinary collaborative experience through the use of interactive HTML mind maps, which can be opened, edited and saved within any browser. This gives freedom to team members to respond and share their ideas especially if they do not have the software installed. Brainstorm, organize and present ideas with just one click and save your work on the world’s most popular cloud storage services: Google Drive, OneDrive, DropBox, Box & Yandex.Disk.

Mindmaple

Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS

Mindmaple has free version and commercial version. This mind map tool allows use of pictures and clip-art. Select any topic on your mind map and use the Clip Art library to add appropriate graphics.

NovaMind

Platforms: cross platform. You can find free version. NovaMind starts introducing the basic concepts. A demo mind map is built as the tutorial progresses. The application has a useful layout engine that helps you design quickly as the topics are not allowed to overlap on top of each other. A unique user-friendly “dial” holds all the mind mapping commands.

WiseMapping

Web. Free online application. Not necessary to log in, but in that case, your mind map do not be saved.  Easy-to-use drag’n drop interface.

Embed mind maps on any website or blog.

Collaborate on maps with friends or co-workers.

Download and save maps as images, PDF document, or FreeMind file.

Import and export mind map files from FreeMind.

More examples of Mind maps: www.biggerplate.com

Essays require students to choose, adapt and combine material on a given topic. They also test writing skill and the ability to develop an argument and use evidence to defend it. Essays may vary from a single page to larger assignments of ten pages.

Example:

Compare summative and formative assessment concerning assessing higher order learning as defined by Bloom’s taxonomy for the cognitive domain.

Performance tests include either a hands-on activity, such as using a microscope or exercising an evolution of butterfly, historical event or the development of products, such as developing a building design or a software package.

Hints for using performance evaluation:

• Ensure that the task is associated with unit aims.
• Choose tasks which can be completed within the time frame.
• Check that any special material needed are accessible for all students.
• Make sure that students have the acquaintance and skills required to carry out the task.
• Specify the task and its requirements precisely in writing. Allow time in class for discussion and interpretation.
• Provide clear criteria for evaluation when the task is set. Consider including students in choosing on the criteria.
• Ask students to provide progress reports or to submit material at multiple intervals before the final submission time.
• Check on student progress frequently and have contingency plans if something goes wrong.
• If possible include others in the assessment process (e.g. another teacher, peers or the participants themselves).

The report is a common way of showing information and recommendation or outcomes related to a specific purpose. Reports are often used as evaluation task because well-developed report writing skills are essential in many professional contexts. Reports are written based on collecting and analysing information using a discipline-specific methodology and format. They can be used to assess laboratory, field work or case studies.

Hints for using written reports:

• Be clear about how marks are designated to any section of the report.
• Define indications according to the learning objectives which the task is evaluating.
• State clearly what the report composition is, include examples of good and poor reports.
• Tell students whether and how language (grammar, spelling, punctuation) will be evaluated.
• Keep the number of the reports required in a semester to a rational number and meet the percentage of overall marks to the effort required to produce a good quality report.
• Teach students useful report writing skills before using the report as an assessment task.

Projects are an extensive piece of work involving inquiry-based activities. A project may be small or large, undertaken by one person or groups and have outcomes such as a report, artwork, working product etc.

Hints for using projects:

• Provide clear guidelines for evaluation when the task is set. Consider including students while choosing the criteria.
• Ask students to provide progress reports or to submit material at different periods before the final submission date.
• Check on student progress frequently and have contingency plans if something goes wrong.
• If possible include others in the assessment process (e.g. another teacher, peers or the participants themselves).

Presentations are usually made verbally to a class on a prepared subject and may include the use of presentation tools such as PowerPoint handouts or audio-visuals. This evaluation method may be undertaken individually or as a group. Presentations may take different forms such as a role plays, promoting group activities, debating, introducing a product, question and answer session, and formal speeches.

Hints for using presentation tasks:

• Design and use an evaluation proforma with weightings for each aspect of the presentation.
• Inform students about the demands and criteria.
• Set lowest and maximum time limits for each presentation.
• For group presentations, use work out beforehand what is anticipated of each group member and how the points will be distributed among group members.
• In group presentations, include some evaluation of the working of the group as well as of the presentation.
• Give to students opportunities to develop and practice oral skills.

A poster is a visual illustration of a topic or the outcomes of learning activity. They can use different means, including online technology, and can be produced individually or in groups.

Hints for using poster presentations:

• Ensure that the task is clearly related to unit goals.
• Check that any special resources or materials needed are available to all students.
• Make sure that students have the knowledge and skills needed to carry out the task.
• Describe the task and its requirements clearly in writing. Allow time in class for discussion and clarification.
• Provide clear criteria for assessment when the task is set. Consider involving students in deciding on the criteria.
• If the task is large, require students to provide progress reports or to submit material at various intervals before the final submission date.
• Check on student progress regularly and have contingency plans if something goes wrong.
• If possible involve others in the assessment process (e.g. another instructor, peers or the participants themselves)

Journals (also called learning logs or learning diaries) are written by students over a period of time, such as a semester, in order to record and reflect on their personal learning experiences and outcomes. They provide an opportunity for students to express their feelings, thoughts and beliefs about the content and process of learning and themselves as learners using an informal writing style and structure.

Hints for using journals:

• Describe the task and its requirements clearly in writing. Allow time in class for discussion and clarification.
• Allow class time for journal writing.
• Suggest areas for students to focus on, possibly using guide questions or statements.
• Provide frequent feedback, especially in the early stages.
• Consider keeping a journal yourself and share entries with your students.
• Acknowledge the value of student comments by responding to journal items.
• Take time to establish a high-trust low-risk learning environment.
• Provide examples of journal entries.

A portfolio is “a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student’s efforts, progress and achievements in on or more areas. The collection must include student participation in selecting contents, the criteria for judging merit and evidence of student self-reflection” (Paulson, Paulson & Meyer, 1991, p60)

Hints for using portfolios:

• Describe the task and its requirements clearly in writing. Allow time in class for discussion and clarification.
• Provide examples of completed portfolios.
• Involve students in selecting portfolio items.
• Include compulsory items which show student learning activities, self-reflection and self-evaluation.
• Use portfolios for different functions at different times of the year.
• Ensure that the length of a portfolio is the equivalent of a written assignment you would normally set, such as an essay or report.
• Provide clear criteria for assessment when the task is set. Consider involving students in deciding on the criteria.
• Require students to provide progress reports or to submit material at various intervals before the final submission date.
• Check on student progress regularly and have contingency plans if something goes wrong.
• If possible involve others in the assessment process (e.g. another instructor, peers or the participants themselves).