WebPA Calculations

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Overall WebPA scores are an average of the WebPA scores received for each question, which are values above or below 1 depending on how positively students were rated in relative to their other group members. If group members give each other the same marks (high or low) then everyone gets the same WebPA score of 1.

WebPA scores are based on several calculations. Each mark a student awards to a group member is divided by the total number of marks they awarded in that question. For example if a student awarded their group members 4, 5 and 3, then these marks are divided by 12 so that they receive 0.33, 0.42 and 0.25 respectively. This is repeated for each group member and your marks are added to give a WebPA score for the question.

The effect of ‘normalising’ the marks is that each student has effectively one mark to share between group members, and accounts for when a student is more generous and awards a larger total of marks compared to other members of the group (or vice versa).

Here is a sample question from the Live Project module in the Business School that shows the the calculation..

Q2 : Section 1: Contribution (quality/standard of work) (range: 0-5)

  Student A Student B Student C Student D Score Awarded
Student A 5

(5/16=0.3125)

 2

(2/16=0.125)

 4

(4/16=0.25)

 5

(5/16=0.3125)

 16
Student B 3

(3/14=0.2142)

 2

(2/14=0.1428)

 4

(4/14=0.2857)

 5

(5/14=0.3571)

 14
Student C 1

(1/12=0.083)

 3

(3/12=0.25)

 3

(3/12=0.25)

 5

(5/12=0.4166)

 12
Student D 3

(3/13=0.2307)

 1

(1/13=0.0769)

 4

(4/13=0.3076)

 5

(5/13=0.3846)

 13
Score Received 0.8404 0.5947 1.0933 1.4708

What happens next?

This is where the Group Score and WebPA weighting determine the final grade. To begin with we will assume that the Group Score of 100 and a weighting of 100%

  • WebPA scores are multiplied by the Group Score to determine the grade that will be imported into Moodle.
  • Student C & D both have a WebPA score >1.0
  • Student B 0.5947
  • If WebPA weighting is set at 100% C&D would receive 100%
  • B would receive 59.47%
  • But if the Group score was set at 50% with a WebPA weighting of 100%,
    • Student D would receive 1.4708*50=73.54%
    • Student B would receive 0.5947*50=29.735%

Adjusting WebPA Weighting

  • What if the Group score was set at 50% with a WebPA weighting of 50%,
  • This means that half of the grade (25%) is defined by the tutor provided Group Score.
  • WebPA then calculates an Individualised Grade based on the remaining 25% of the Group Score AND the scores that are defined by each team members responses e.g.
    • student D would receive 25% +(1.4708*25% or 36.77%)=61.77%
    • Student B would receive 25% +(0.5947*25% or 14.8675%)=39.8675%

How does this connect to Moodle?

  • If we have 2 course components in Moodle
  • Group Work has course weighting of 80%
  • Peer Assessment has course weighting of 20%

–In WebPA we set a Group Score and use a WebPA Weighting to determine what proportion of the Peer Assessment course component grade is determined solely by student responses

  • In the Live Project example Group Scores were set to 100% and WebPA Weighting to 100% to make sure that whatever WebPA calculates based on student responses to the  determine grade.

–This grade is then imported into Moodle where within the Gradebook’s Categories & Items component weighting is calculated e.g. WebPA Grade*0.20 to form part of the Course Total.

  • So some of the calculation has to be done in Moodle as WebPA provides an individualised score for the peer assessment.
  • In an example where Group Score is 53% AND the WebPA weighting is 100%

–Student D would receive 1.4708*53= 77.9%

–Student B would receive 0.5947*53 = 31.52%

  • These would be imported into Moodle and multiplied by component weighting so
    • Student D would receive 77.9*0.2=15.58%
    • Student B would receive 31.52*0.2=6.3%
  • And these would form part of the course total

If we set a lower WebPA weighting a proportion of the group score is automatically awarded to each group member with remainder being calculated based on their responses

  • So using 53% as an example Group Score, and a WebPA Weight of 80% – 20% of Group Score (0.2*53%=10.6%) would be given to both students D&B
  • We would then see that WebPA score is then multiplied by 80% (0.8) of Group Score (0.8*53=42.4%)
  • So Student D would receive 1.4708*42.4%=62.36% PLUS the 10.6% for grand total of 72.96%
  • Student B 0.5947*42.4=25.2% PLUS 10.6% = 35.8%

Tip: Peer assessment offers many time savings and WebPA can help but consider what are you actually trying to measure?

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