Association for Biology Laboratory Education

"Rising Stakes" Collaborative Writing Projects: Tools, Techniques, and Tips
 



Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2016, Volume 37

Dan Johnson

Abstract

Semester-long "rising stakes" writing projects are an authentic learning experience that uses peer interactions to motivate students and improve outcomes. In the low-stakes phase, students write blocks of a larger collaborative project. Peers and the instructor provide feedback and suggestions for improvements. In the high-stakes phase, students use the collaborative resource to complete a final course assessment. Here we describe how to organize a semester-long collaborative project, our assessment methods, and general strategies for implementing collaborative writing in a variety of courses.

Keywords:  peer instruction, formative assessment, technical writing, course project

Boston University (2015)