Computer-supported assessment of wikis in higher education: Two case studies

In recent years, the focus on higher education learning has shifted from knowledge to skills, with the interpersonal skills likely being the most difficult to assess and work with. Wikis ease open collaboration among peers. The massive adoption of computers and the Internet both in the classroom and by students makes it possible to use them for grading. A number of these skills can be assessed by using wikis in an university-level educational environment: collaborative writing, conflict resolution, group management, leadership, etc. However, the sole use of wikis does not guarantee success, as there are many variables that affect the experience. In this paper we compare two case studies conducted in the University of Cádiz, Spain. We pay attention to the different settings in each one, and how they can affect the final result of the experience. They were conducted in courses belonging to Computer Science Degrees. However, they differ in duration, milestones, contribution size, weight in the final grade and, specially, in the assessment method. When a group of students work in a wiki, they produce a lot of information that is hard to evaluate in detail. We discuss and compare the different methods and tools used to assess the desired skills in each case study. We sum up some of the lessons learned in our conclusions.