Case Study
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Makes Group Work Visible, Accountable, and Teachable
At Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, group work was redesigned to move beyond final submission and focus on the learning process itself. This case study highlights how increased visibility into student engagement enabled more effective support, stronger participation, and improved outcomes.
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Highlights
97.9%
Group pass rate
100%
Student satisfaction
91%
Positive student sentiment
For Bronwyn Alton, Principal Academic Staff Member at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, group work is a critical part of preparing students for real-world collaboration — but it has always come with a fundamental challenge.
Students work in teams, but educators often can’t see what’s actually happening within them. Who is contributing. Who is disengaging. And who needs support before it’s too late.
“They’ll [students] say they’re on track or fine… but as a teacher there’s no way of really knowing. When they’re in that learning tension they hide, and that’s dangerous because we can’t support them.”
Designing group work that reflects real collaboration
In this particular course as part of Business Studies, group work was designed to mirror real-world dynamics — requiring students to collaborate, contribute, and take shared ownership of outcomes. But like many group-based assessments, the challenge wasn’t the task itself — it was ensuring consistent participation across all students.
Without visibility into the process, disengagement could go unnoticed — with some students carrying the group while others fell behind. The goal for Bronwyn wasn’t just to assess the final output — it was to shape student behaviour throughout the process.
Why Cadmus
Rather than treating group work as a single submission point, Bronwyn embedded Cadmus across the lifecycle of the task for a cohort of 119 students. This allowed her to:
- Track individual contribution and engagement over time
- Introduce structured check-ins and drafting moments
- Identify early signs of disengagement
- Intervene before issues impacted outcomes
“Cadmus provides me an opportunity to see if students have engaged with the assessment or not, with real supporting evidence. So that nothing is a surprise to me.”
Cadmus shifted group work from something that happened behind the scenes to something that was visible and actionable.
Assessment spotlight: Driving accountability within teams
A key focus of the assessment design for Bronwyn was ensuring that all students actively participated in the group process. With Cadmus, participation became visible — not assumed.
“It helped students stay accountable to do their respective part of the assessment, rather than being left to their own devices.”
Students could no longer disengage without it being noticed. Instead, visibility created a natural sense of ownership and responsibility.
“Cadmus brought students in and it brought students close to ask questions. When they [students] do that, you can start supporting the focus and improve success.”
This shifted group work from something students simply completed to something they were expected to actively contribute to.
Coaching behaviour, not just assessing outcomes
With clearer insight into student activity, Bronwyn was able to move beyond grading final submissions and instead coach students throughout the process.
“We’re really trying to coach student behaviour to ensure they all participate, rather than one person…doing it for everyone.”
Students who weren’t engaging were easy to identify early, enabling timely and targeted support.
“Some students didn’t participate and I knew that… it was easy to identify them with Cadmus.”
The results
Embedding Cadmus into group work didn’t just improve participation, it fundamentally changed how the assessment functioned for both students and educators.
For students, expectations became clearer and participation more structured. Rather than navigating group work independently, they were supported with a clear framework for how to contribute and progress.
“The tools inside Cadmus Group Work (such as the Task Board) were really helpful for students who didn’t know what to do next… it provides them [students] with a clear process to follow.”
This was particularly valuable for students who may otherwise disengage, providing a clear entry point into the task. At the same time, more confident students were challenged to engage more deeply — building skills that extend beyond the classroom.
“Throughout life and in the workplace we have to use new technologies all the time… so students can be prepared for real-world working environments.”
For Bronwyn, the assessment also became more efficient and cohesive. All submissions were completed and marked within Cadmus Marker, creating a single, consistent workflow from drafting through to final feedback.
This alignment between learning, participation, and marking meant that outcomes more accurately reflected each student’s contribution, while also reducing administrative burden. For Bronwyn, this became her highest performing course.
Across the course, this resulted in:
- 97.9% group pass rate
- 100% student satisfaction
- 91% positive sentiment
Reflecting on impact
By embedding Cadmus into the group work process, Bronwyn transformed group work from something difficult to monitor into something that could be actively supported and improved. Students were more accountable. Educators had earlier visibility. And group work became a more reliable and effective learning experience.
“Cadmus made students accountable… It brought students in. And once they engage, we as educators can start supporting them.”
Category
Student Success
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