Design and development of a peer evaluation instrument for "student learning teams"

"Student learning teams" (SLT) involves the integration of academic cooperative learning with an industrial based model used to develop corporate teams. For effective teamwork to occur within a SLT, a variety of factors must be monitored and evaluated. One specific area "Interpersonal Relations", can potentially cause serious problems which stem from unclear and poorly defined expectations team members have of each other. Also, participation of all team members is paramount because it builds trust and demonstrates each member\´s sincerity and interest in being on the SLT. One suitable way to assess the "Interpersonal Relations " element within a team involves a peer evaluation. This paper discusses the design and development of a student centered peer evaluation for the SLT concept. It is based on input from several SLTs. Teams in the are continuing the refinement of the instrument and will be using it as one factor in determining each team member\´s grade for the course. Data is being collected to substantiate the validity and reliability of the instrument and those results will be available in the future. For SLTs the ultimate purpose of the peer evaluation focuses on the individual integrity of the learning experience. Each team member plays an integral part in the success of the team and its performance must be periodically reviewed and assessed by each team. Also, appropriate feedback needs to be offered so shortcomings can be addressed by the individual.