Digital technology and group work

5. Assessment and tools for group work

In modern education, group work tools are used not only for coordination and information exchange, but also as a basis for evaluating student activities. The digital environment allows teachers to see the flow of group work, the dynamics of participation, and the individual contribution of each member, which greatly facilitates the assessment process.

One advantage is transparency. Tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Word Online keep track of all changes to a document and allow you to track who added what and when. This makes it clear what level of engagement each student is contributing to fairer grading. Similarly, task management tools like Trello or Asane provide an overview of the activities completed and the responsibilities of individual members. This gives teachers a detailed view of the process, not just the final product.

An important element of assessment in group work is the possibility of self-assessment and peer assessment. Some tools integrate surveys and feedback forms (e.g. Google Forms or Microsoft Forms ), which allow students to reflect on their own contribution and evaluate the collaboration in the team. This form of assessment encourages metacognitive skills because students learn to think about the process, not just the result.

However, digital assessment also has its challenges, as there is a risk of placing too much emphasis on quantitative indicators (number of changes, amount of text) rather than on the quality of the contribution itself. Also, in large groups it can be difficult to assess the creative contribution of an individual, especially when tasks are done collaboratively. Therefore, it is important to combine data from the tool with teacher assessment and clear assessment criteria.