Examining the role of collaborative assessment in a didactic dental hygiene course.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a technique known as collaborative assessment considering students' and faculty members' perceptions of the value and utility of this approach. Twenty-eight dental hygiene students took eight individual assessments (quizzes) immediately followed by completion of the same assessment in a five-member peer group as part of a didactic dental hygiene course. At the end of the semester, student perceptions and course performance were examined. Faculty perceptions were also collected. A paired samples t-test was conducted to compare student performance on individual and group assessments. Students reported that this collaborative assessment approach enhanced their learning, provided them with experience in defending their answers, and decreased stress. Concerns for fairness and individual accountability were noted by both students and faculty. The mean group score for all quizzes combined (M=91 percent, SD=2 percent) was significantly higher by 16 percentage points (91 percent versus 75 percent) than the mean individual score for all quizzes combined (M=75 percent, SD=8 percent), t(27)=11.61, alpha =.05, p<.0005. This study suggests that additional measures are needed to ensure individual preparation and accountability when using the collaborative assessment process as a learning strategy with dental hygiene students.