Evaluation Mode: Joint vs. Separate

Evaluation mode is a term used to describe how a performance assessment system is structured. In joint evaluation mode, the measure of performance is the combination of both the instructor and the student’s individual assessment. This is usually accomplished by combining the grades from both parties and calculated into one single grade. In separate evaluation mode, the instructor conducts his/her performance assessment on one set of criteria and the student performs his/her assessment of the same topic based on different criteria. The result is then compiled into two separate grades, each representing either the instructor’s or the student’s opinion of the performance. Joint evaluation mode is beneficial as it combines different assessments from different perspectives and provides a more holistic measure of performance. However, this may also lead to an increased emphasis on the instructor’s assessment as the dominating factor in the overall grade. Separate evaluation mode has the advantage of allowing each student to fully express their own opinion of the performance, without fear of being influenced by the other person’s assessment. It also levels the playing field when assessing the performance of two different people, as the same criteria is being applied to each independently. However, this type of evaluation can lead to inconsistency in evaluation as the criteria adopted by each student may not match up.