BREAKING THE BARRIERS: CO-CONSTRUCTING AN ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT

Abstract

This study investigated the student-driven planning, taking, and evaluating of a non-traditional assessment tool in a graduate course on "Collaborative Ways of Knowing, Teaching, and Learning." Using computer-mediated communication, students explored a "non-foundational paradigm" which encourages reciprocal interdependence and values the process of constructing knowledge over the product. The roles of the participants shift as the students take on more responsibility in becoming the planners and directors of their collective learning, while the instructor becomes a co-participant, sharing authority and responsibility with the students.