Assessment of Collaborative Learning in Learning Oriented Assessment Contexts

Over the years, Collaborative Learning (CL) in which language learners are expected to learn from each other either in pairs or in groups has been a very common teaching practice in classroom contexts. In CL, language learners are motivated to be involved in both learning and assessment practices. From learning perspectives of CL, language learners are expected to have active learning practices and direct involvement in sharing their knowledge through social interaction that can potentially lead to the individual and group learning. The assessment dimension of CL requires learners first to judge, directly or indirectly, the quality of their peers’ contribution to the collaborative activities and then to have their own argument for or against the points made in the group activities. This very double responsibility of learners in CL makes the assessment of the individual and group learning activities complex. This paper aims to raise four issues. Firstly, it elaborates on some salient features of CL. Secondly, it highlights educational, social, and psychical factors that influence language learners’ performances in CL activities in classroom contexts. Thirdly, it argues for considering CL as a kind of learning oriented assessment in which learners are “involved in the process of assessing their work”. And finally, this paper makes some practical suggestions to assess individual and group performances in CL in the light of learning oriented assessment.