The presentation will outline the systematic use of the Blackboard Wiki tool, for a large class (120) consisting of external and internal students, to engage in Group work with success. The added benefit was an enhanced student capacity to engage with digital media in their professional role. This UQ post-graduate course has received annual teaching awards which have reflected high student satisfaction in the evaluations. Our case study illustrates use of the Wiki tool to enable collaboration within a group of 6 (three from internal and 3 from external mode) to write a formal electronic Report on a national health system that could be used by that government to strengthen its health system. In a practical sense, participants will be able to access the framework of assessment, the tool set up and the marking criteria, along with student samples and student evaluation.

1. USING THE WIKI TOOL TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE ASSESSMENT
GROUPS WITHOUT TEARS

2. Presenter details: Please email for the PPT and any of the ideas mentioned
today, I am happy to help you
• Valerie Springett | Lecturer |Health Systems Division
• Faculty of Medicine + Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health
• Room 024, Public Health Building, Herston Campus
• The University of Queensland 4006
• T: +61 7 3346 4617 | M: 0427 357 099 Email: v.springett@uq.edu.au |
http://www.sph.uq.edu.au
• I would like to acknowledge the Course Coordinator of this course,
Greg Fowler
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3. Abstract:
• The presentation will outline the systematic use of the Blackboard Wiki tool, for a large
class (120) consisting of external and internal students, to engage in Group work with
success. The added benefit was an enhanced student capacity to engage with digital
media in their professional role. This UQ post-graduate course has received annual
teaching awards which have reflected high student satisfaction in the evaluations.
• Our case study illustrates use of the Wiki tool to enable collaboration within a group of 6
(three from internal and 3 from external mode) to write a formal electronic Report on a
national health system that could be used by that government to strengthen its health
system.
• In a practical sense, participants will be able to access the framework of assessment, the
tool set up and the marking criteria, along with student samples and student evaluation.
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4. 4
PUBH7614 Blackboard site- Note the simple Menu

5. Students like the Wiki – Quotes from the SECaT evaluations
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• I thought the wiki use was new and interesting, as well
as the interest the lecturers took in the students'
participation
• Interesting use of technology! This course was very
engaging (especially for external students) the tasks/
assessments set were a good way to engage with
fellow students.
• Using the electronic wiki as an assessment tool leant
itself to the group work activity nicely. It enabled group
members to see exactly where everybody was up to
and help each other along the way.

6. Students engaged in the learning in groups – Quotes from the SECaT
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• Very interesting, stimulating and encouraged
independent thinking and real life style group work.
Very enjoyable.
• Working in a group towards an analysis of a health
system was engaging.
• To be able to engage in group activities, to be able to
collaborate with each other to gain deeper
understanding of the health system of a country of
interest and also ways to improve the system.

7. Framework of assessment
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• Clear Overview in the Assessment section
• Separate folder for each Assessment
• Each assessment building to the next
– Biography (Blog) ‘Getting to know you’
– IMHO (WIki) ‘Getting to know what you are about’
– Report (Wiki) ‘Like minds working together’
• A lot of preparation in building groups and the
community
• Use of a formal ‘Contract’ and ‘Planners’

8. Preparation to use Blogs and Wikis
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• Home Page
• Weekly Housekeeping reminders before the lecture
(recorded)
• Lots of ‘How-to Guides’- Learning Resources
• Adobe Connect each Monday night 7-8pm for external
students to chat and ask questions – ‘how-to’
demonstrated live and recorded.
• Began the ‘Sign-up sheet’ early

9. Tool set-up in Blackboard- The Blog
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• All the assessment leading up to the group Wiki was to
help student ‘meet’ each other and to value their
contributions
• The Biography introduced each other to the rest –
occupation, location, family, interests, etc
• Students became used to adding pictures and text
• The Blog tool was used for this, students could
comment on anyone they were interested in with their
personal details.

10. Tool set-up in Blackboard – The Wiki
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• First assessment – low weighting – was
‘In My Humble Opinion’
• Student write into a Wiki, an aspect of
the health system they wanted to see
change.
• Students got used to adding text and
pictures and the comments button
• Students begun to notice students they
may like to group up with – writing style,
occupation, interests.

11. Tool set-up in Blackboard – the Group Report
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• The Home Page was their ‘Title Page’
• Each group member has their own section to
write, edit
• Other members used the ‘Comments’ to add
their ideas and references
• Appendices allowed for extension of data
without adding to the word count
• Final Wiki ‘Closed for editing’ for marking
• Feedback given in the Wiki itself.

12. Marking criteria
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• Comprehensive electronic Rubric
• 10% weighting for group collaboration and
cohesion
• 60% weighting for the actual report on the
country using a set framework
• The whole group received a rubric
coloured to the Grade only – no marks
• Extensive feedback was given to the whole
group

13. Marking the individual in the Group
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• All students completed a ‘Self and Peer
Evaluation Form’.
• Score and comments were submitted
back to Bb for teachers to collate
• This moderated the whole group mark –
if necessary
• Each individual student saw their own
mark for the assessment in My Grades
with feedback

14. ACTION PLAN REVISITED
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• Culture of the students
• Communication with the students
• Provide experiential learning
• Group preparation
• Group tools
• Time for group work
• Sharing with other groups
• Authentic assessment for the outside world
• Ability to ‘report on the group’.

15. Extra Information
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• Acknowledgement that students hate group work
• Allowing for good group work to get the right mark
• Making amends for poor member of a group
• A lot of preparation and explanation
• Repeated
• Rewards of external students collaborating with
internal students which was the ‘intent’.

16. One week dedicated to ‘Report writing and setting out the Wiki’
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17. A lot of ‘How-to’ Guides
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18. Weekly Adobe Connect meetings
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19. Student samples
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20. Student sample
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22. Was it worth it?
Any questions?
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