[pic]

EQUITY OF CONTRIBUTION POLICY

This policy will apply to the workgroup unless and until the workgroup agrees to amend or replace it.

CONTRIBUTION POLICY
The primary purpose of this policy is to explain the expectations and obligations of student contribution to group/team assessment tasks. All students of the workgroup are encouraged to express their views and ideas in the class and show willingness to undertake a fair proportion of the required written/presentation work.
In the case where a few students undertake work on behalf of the workgroup above and beyond the contribution required of the rest of the workgroup students, this policy allows for their contribution to receive additional marks.
In the case where students of the group rely on others in their group to complete work on their behalf, and therefore do less work than other members, the lecturer may deduct marks from that individual student in the group.

Each student of the workgroup is expected to contribute to the class in the following areas:
• Attendance
• Oral participation/presentation
• Written work
• Contribution to the workgroup activities

The expectations for each of these elements and consequences for failure to meet these agreed standards are set out below:

1. Attendance
1.1. To maximise your success in presenting students are expected to attend every class.
1.2. If a student is unable to attend class due to circumstances of which they have prior notice then they must advise the workgroup/team or their lecturer of their absence.
1.3. If a student is unable to attend due to unexpected circumstances then they must, when possible, contact their workgroup/team and lecturer to advise of their inability to attend and present evidence of the reason for their failure to attend.
1.4. Whenever a student is absent, they must negotiate with their workgroup/team the work they will need to complete to ensure that they fairly contribute to the workgroup’s/team workload.
1.5. Failure to attend the class without notice or evidence as set out in 1.2 or 1.3 will be penalised 5% of the possible mark for the assigned task (presentation/portfolio/report (that is 1.5 marks) for every absence.

2. Oral Participation/Presentations
2.1. Oral participation of all students is expected in workgroup/team discussions during class activities and in workgroup/team meetings.
2.2. As well as speaking it is expected that all workgroup/team students will practice active listening.
2.3. The workgroup/team should make every effort to encourage non-participating students to make a greater oral contribution to the workgroup. Respect must be shown for different communication styles.
2.4. The workgroup/team members will present equally, as well as contribute to the presentation content equally.

3. Written Work
3.1. Each workgroup/team student must complete the ‘Homework’ prior to the week’s class.
3.2. Failure to complete the ‘Homework’ prior to the week’s class may result in each student being classified as not contributing equally to the class discussions and activities.

4. Individual Appeal against a Lower Grade
4.1. Before a lower grade can be given to an individual student, the workgroup must discuss the situation with the individual student and the lecturer
4.2. If the student agrees that they have not contributed equally, he /she will agree to a lower mark than other students in the group.
4.3. If, after all discussions, it is agreed that the individual student is to be penalised, all students of the group must prepare a written statement (this includes the student/s to be penalised). All students in the work group, including the student/s to be penalised, must sign the statement.
4.4. The original copy of the statement, with signatures, must be given to the lecturer
4.5. A copy of the statement must then be provided to each student in the group/team

5. Lecturer’s Role
5.1. The lecturer has the right to give a lower mark for lack of equal contribution or performance if they have observed a student’s lack of contribution.
5.2. The lecturer may request that the work group attend a meeting and act in a mediator role to resolve the situation. However, if the lecturer believes the issue to be sufficiently serious they may refer the issue to the relevant Course Coordinator for further action.
5.3. If it is deemed that the group/team has discriminated against the student in any way, those students who have partaken in the discrimination will be referred to the Course’s Program Manager and Course Coordinator.

6. Changes to this Policy
6.1. After you have submitted this policy in week 3 it may only be changed with the agreement of all students in the workgroup.
6.2. Any changes to the original policy you submitted must be developed into a new policy and signed again by all students in your workgroup/team.
6.3. The lecturer has the right to refuse to accept any changes that appears to be unfair or targeted at a specific individual or individuals in the workgroup.

Date of agreement:

Signed by (all workgroup/team students must sign this policy)

Student name:……………………………Signature:………………………………ID:………………………..

Student name:……………………………Signature:………………………………ID:………………………..

Student name:……………………………Signature:………………………………ID:………………………..

Student name:……………………………Signature:………………………………ID:………………………..