According to Seidel, such discussions can lead teachers to look beyond their assignments, and to recognize students' creativity whether or not it is directly related to an assignment. Despite the philosophical difference between these two approaches, they share some common traits when it comes to the actual process of looking at student work. But discussions also can focus on the quality of the assignments themselves. Students can do no better than the assignments they are given, she contends. Crucial ingredients For many educators and schools, the hardest part of collaborative assessment may be getting started.
Most experts say the process takes a high level of trust among staff.
To break the ice, Katherine Nolan brings her own personal collection of student work to discussions. If you use work too close to teachers at first, they will shut down. Once teachers begin to share ideas, they can move toward bringing work from their own classrooms. As Nolan's example shows, another crucial ingredient is the presence of an objective third party. Even if the expertise, time, and trust needed to stimulate group conversations around student work are present, there's still the problem of whether teachers can understand what the process can teach them.