Learn more, stress less: Exploring the benefits of collaborative assessment

Abstract

Many classroom instructors use collaborative learning activities to promote student learning, raise academic achievement, and support cognitive engagement. We conducted a collaborative assessment in a small undergraduate educational psychology course (TV = 31) and used survey methodology to explore student perceptions. Taken together, our quantitative and qualitative results support the notion that collaborative assessment can promote collaborative learning, mitigate test anxiety, and make in-class testing a more positive educational experience. We discuss these findings in relation to our observations as the course instructors, and we provide several practical recommendations, as well as study limitations and future directions.