UCC Groupwork Guidelines
Applicable to students registered 2026-2027 and beyond.
Contents
Version
Version Number: 2.0
Revision date: May 2026
Policy Owner: Vice President Learning and Teaching
Approval by: Academic Board 27 May 2026
Review: Every three years
Introduction
[1] On graduating, most graduates will work with others and it is important that they acquire skills during their programme of study that will enhance group work processes and outputs prior to encountering group work tasks in the workplace. Carefully designed and delivered group work assessments facilitate the development and/or assessment of learners’ valuable transferrable skills and graduate attributes, including time management, communication, problem-solving and team-working abilities.
[2] These guidelines are built around a set of general principles governing the design, delivery and assessment of group work. They present a set of general principles that are sufficiently robust to reflect good practice in the design and practice of assessment and intended to be flexible enough to be permissive of the range of disciplinary settings and approaches in operation across the university. As a method of assessment, group work shares the same requirements as all other forms of assessment. This includes the need for a clear statement of: (i) the learning to be assessed, (ii) the assessment task, (iii) assessment criteria, and (iv) expectations for levels of student performance.
[3] The guidelines apply to all modules, including those delivered via online/blended learning, involving group work as defined below in [4]. These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the Module Policy for CIM Modules and aim to promote good practice so that students undertaking group work activity are supported in achieving maximum learning from this assessment format. These guidelines update and replace the previous groupwork guidelines which were approved by Academic Board in May 2021.
General definition of “group work”
[4] For the purpose of these guidelines, “group work” involves students working collaboratively on a particular project, assignment or task and where the assessment is based on the output of the group work and/or the group work process (i.e., assessment of participation in the group). A module may be assessed in whole or in part using groupwork. There are different kinds of assessment that may be used in demonstrating achievement of particular learning outcomes/learning outcome sets. Module co-ordinators/lecturers should consider carefully whether group work assessment is continuous, formative and/or summative and how marks are allocated between group marks and individual marks.
Background and context
[5] A wide range of group work activity takes place across the University and provides valuable learning opportunities for students. As well as strengthening students’ capacity with respect to rigorous scholarship, group work facilitates the development of a range of transferable skills that are much sought after by employers (e.g., leadership skills, problem-solving skills, working as part of a team, time management, communication skills, presentation and report writing skills, self-reflection etc.). The use of group work, and the emphasis on developing an active, student-centred learning environment through problem-based, case-based, scenario-based and project-based learning, has increased in recent years. Goal Two - Student Success - in UCC’s Strategic Plan 2023-2028, puts renewed focus on the importance of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the importance of equipping our students with competencies and transversal skills, including complex problem solving, critical thinking and creativity. This trend is likely to continue, with the strong contemporary focus on “work-ready” graduates who have acquired a wide range of skills during their programme of study.
[6] Given the diversity of approaches to group work across the University, and the specific disciplinary and/or professional accreditation requirements that apply in certain cases, a core set of general guidelines, supplemented by examples of good practice, provides a valuable resource for the development of robust and equitable groupwork activity and its inclusive assessment across the University. This document provides a set of general guidelines. More in-depth information, guidance, and resources on designing, delivering and assessing groupwork are available from the UCC Centre for the Integration of Research in Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) here: Short Guide 7: Group Work | University College Cork.
[7] The overarching objective of these guidelines is to promote good practice and inclusive learning outcomes that aim to ensure, inter alia, that an individual student’s contribution to group work is accurately and fairly assessed and rewarded. This objective is best achieved by giving consideration, from the outset, to the design and delivery of group work activities, including establishing clear and appropriate processes to address any issues, tensions or disputes that might arise in the course of a group work activity and communicating this information effectively to students in advance of the group work commencing (e.g., through sharing a rubric - see Guideline 2 below).
1. Clear module objectives and learning outcomes communicated effectively to students
Clearly defined and communicated module objectives and learning outcomes are essential when incorporating group work into modules. These objectives, including the development of transversal skills where relevant, must be clearly stated in the UCC Book of Modules, which serves as a formal agreement between the University and students.
Additional details about group work should be provided to students in writing by the module co-ordinator/lecturer - through introductory sessions, seminars, or online platforms like Canvas - and must align with the official module description. Module outlines or handbooks at the school or discipline level should also reflect this alignment.
Well-designed objectives guide teaching methods and assessment strategies, helping to prevent confusion and ensuring effective implementation and evaluation of group work.
Students registered with Disability Support (DS) may experience additional barriers to participating in group work, including challenges related to communication, access, participation or attendance. Staff should take a proactive, inclusive approach when designing and facilitating group work, ensuring flexibility and equitable participation for all students. Staff are strongly encouraged to consult
- DMIS to determine if any students in their module have reasonable accommodations identified that may be relevant to group work; and
- DS SharePoint for guidelines on supporting students with disabilities in group work for practical recommendations and examples of inclusive practice.
2. Clear statement of assessment method(s) should be communicated effectively to students
It is essential to clearly communicate the assessment methods and weightings for group work modules to students from the outset. The Book of Modules must state whether assessment is based on individual, group, and/or combined performance. In addition, there should be a rubric, outlining to students in advance the weighting of individual and group process/product contributions for formative and/or summative assessment. Responsibilities for group work assessment, beyond assessment by faculty (e.g., to include peer- and self-assessment) should be considered for a 360-degree appraisal (formative or summative) of individual contributions to groupwork processes and group product.
To ensure fairness and recognition of individual contributions, both a group and an individual mark should be provided. Students should understand how each part contributes to their final grade, how it aligns with learning outcomes, and which skills are being assessed. If the group work component constitutes a high-stakes assessment and individual feedback cannot be facilitated, then an alternative to group work should be considered.
Written details about assessment criteria, expectations, and grading methods should be provided early in the module and must align with the official module description. Any changes must be approved at College level before being shared with students.
When assessing individual contributions, students should receive clear guidance on how to identify and declare their role in the group work (e.g., through a signed statement).
The module coordinator/lecturer is responsible for ensuring consistent and fair grading. Supplemental exam arrangements for group work must also be outlined in the module description and follow university policy, offering a second chance where possible while maintaining the same learning standards. All assessment formats must assess the same competencies and module outcomes, even if they differ from the original assessment method.
3. Clarity around how groups are formed
Groups in the context of this policy are considered to consist of two or more students working jointly on a particular project, assignment or task. Group size should reflect the nature and complexity of the learning outcomes and the specific task(s) assigned to the group. Best practice suggests that teams of 4 or 5 are optimal for devolution of roles and tasks. Students must take responsibility for actively participating, working collaboratively and contributing equitably to the work. Additional resources and examples relating to group formation and operation are available through CIRTL’s Short Guide 7: Group Work.
Students should be informed at the outset as to how groups will be formed. It is recognised that, in some cases, self-selection may be appropriate while in others, such as random selection, students may not have a choice in their allocation to a group. The merits and appropriateness of the two approaches should be considered carefully for each group work assignment. If self-selection is used, group formation should be co-ordinated through the module co-ordinator rather than being left to the students’ own devices.
4. Timely and informative feedback for students
To enable students judge their progress and improve their performance over the course of the module, timely and informative feedback should be provided for each element of the assessment, where possible.
When providing feedback, module co-ordinators/lecturers are responsible for considering, assessing and providing feedback for both the individual and collective effort carried out by students. This should be provided in a timely manner for each element of the assessment. Timing of the return of feedback may vary depending on the volume of students but where the group work builds towards final/summative assessments, feedback should normally be provided to students ahead of submission of final/summative assessment tasks to allow feedback to be incorporated. Module coordinators/lecturers should normally communicate to students an indicative timeline for feedback.
Additionally, when conducting peer evaluations of an individual’s contribution to group tasks, all feedback and scores from fellow group members must remain strictly confidential
5. Opportunities for students to comment on experience in the group
An appropriate process should be put in place to enable students to communicate their experiences of how the group is progressing to the module co-ordinator/lecturer on an ongoing basis. Such a process provides an “early warning system” which can alert the module co-ordinator/lecturer to any potential issues or problems within a group at an early stage.
For example, each group may have a mentor to moderate the group work process to varying degrees depending on the context, whether this process is occurring online (asynchronously or synchronously) or in person OR this task can be delegated to the student group leader, who can in turn contact the mentor or module coordinator/ lecturer if an issue arises. A novel approach to this might be to include individual responsibility for co-regulation of optimal group work processes as a learning outcome. This could then influence group work process subculture via an assessment driven learning approach (see also Guideline 2 re suggestion for self- and peer- assessment of groupwork). (See CIRTL’s Short Guide 7: Group Work for more resources.)
6. Processes to address any issues/conflicts arising during a group work project
At the very minimum, module co-ordinators/lecturers should set out a monitoring system for tracking group members’ participation, such as discussion boards or uploading of meeting minutes. Module co-ordinators/lecturers should encourage members of a group to attempt to resolve any conflicts that arise among themselves, in the first instance, where appropriate. If a risk management support system to students cannot be facilitated, then an alternative to group work should be considered.
Where a student is being excluded or their input is being refused by fellow members of the group, that student should document the interactions and seek mediation from their lecturer. Where a student feels that there are discriminatory factors involved and they are being inappropriately treated, matters may be referred to the Campus Watch Committee for breach of student rules.
For other conflicts that may arise, where it has not been resolved within the group after 10 working days, module co-ordinators/lecturers must intervene and investigate. Furthermore, the impact a student’s level of participation has had on the group should be further considered when determining students’ respective results.
Where students are dissatisfied with the actions taken by module co-ordinators/ lecturers to intervene, they may also avail of further complaint mechanisms under the Student Complaints Policy or the Examination Appeals Procedure.
7. Feedback mechanism on student experience of the module
As is the case with any module, with a view towards ongoing improvement of the module and learning from experience, students should be given an appropriate opportunity to provide feedback on their experience of the module and, in particular, on the group work element, to the module co-ordinator/lecturer. This can be done through the university-level module survey and/or a module-specific survey administered by the module co-ordinator/lecturer. This feedback is in addition to the ongoing analysis of student experience throughout the groupwork activity (Guideline 5, above).
8. Support and collaboration among staff involved in group work activities
Module co-ordinators/lecturers considering including a group work component in a module are encouraged to engage with more experienced colleagues at the outset so that they are made aware of any potential pitfalls and how best to avoid problems with implementation. They can also refer to the CIRTL website or contact CIRTL directly for support.
Contact for Further Information
Chair of the Academic Council Learning and Teaching Committee
Academic Affairs and Governance
Gnothaí Acadúla agus Rialú
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