Video Lesson: Experiences and Strategies of Peer Assessment

Welcome to this video lesson on peer assessment. Our guest will share her experiences with implementing this approach in higher education. In what context have you used peer assessment? Which course was involved, how many students participated, and how did it all begin? Prof. BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, Ph.D: I mostly use peer assessment, also referred to as student-to-student assessment, in graduate and postgraduate courses, when students are generally more mature. I have also tried using it in undergraduate mathematics courses, which presented more challenges. However, in graduate courses, those with with large cohorts of around one hundred students, peer assessment is particularly useful because it allows all students to receive feedback within a reasonable timeframe. It is also important to clearly specify the criteria for the assessment. What motivated you to introduce peer assessment? What were you hoping to achieve? Prof. BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, Ph.D: My main motivation was to provide students with more feedback, while also enabling them to learn from one anther’s experiences. When students read and assess the work of their peers, they reflect on their own work as well, that is a key benefit. Another important goal was to help students develop the ability to provide feedback and evaluate work critically in an appropriate way. Peer assessment also encourages students to become, in a sense, co-owners of the learning process and to engage more actively in all stages of learning and teaching. What did the process look like? How did students assess one another? Did you use digital tools, and if so, which ones? Prof. BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, Ph.D: At the outset, it is essential to clearly explain to students the purpose of the assessment, what we aim to achieve, what their role is, and how digital tools will be used. We primarily used the Workshop activity in Moodle, which proved effective because students were already familiar with the platform. When they entered the workshop, they were assigned a peer’s work to , along with assessment criteria. What is particularly important is that each assignment was also assessed by the instructor. This made it possible to compare student assignments based on the same criteria and to evaluate how consistently and objectively students apply them. How did students respond to this method of assessment? Did you notice any changes in how they approached assignments or feedback? Prof. BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, Ph.D: Students were not enthusiastic at first. It was necessary to clearly explain the goals, activities, and overall process. Most students accepted it well, but some said, “This isn’t my job, teachers are paid to assess our work.” However, once students began reviewing the work of others, and realized that this helped them improve their own work, their attitudes became more positive. Still, not all students accept peer assessment in the same way. Some express concerns, such as, “I don’t want to assess my colleague’s work, because I might harm them.” What were the biggest advantages you observed? And what challenges, organizational, technical, or pedagogical, did you encounter? Prof. BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, Ph.D: From an organisational perspective, the process was relatively straightforward as everything was conducted within Moodle using its built-in tools. There was more work at the beginning, but later the process became easier over time. In terms of technical requirements, our students were already familiar with the digital environment. We did not use any external tools, and I believe it is important for students to work within a consistent environment. Pedagogically, students gain a different perspective on their own work and the work of their peers by actively participating in assessment process. Have you adjusted your approach over time? What would you do differently today? Prof. BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, Ph.D: At first, I assumed that students would find it relatively easy to assess one another’s work and apply the criteria correctly. Experience has shown that this is clearly not the case. The process required more effort. We change the approach every year, building on what we have learned previously, for example, by explaining the criteria more thoroughly. We also emphasize the importance of writing comments in addition to awarding points according to grading tables.These comments should help students improve their work. At the end of the process, we ask students to reflect on how consistent their scores, points, and comments are with those given by the instructors. What advice would you give to teachers who are considering implementing peer assessment in their courses for the first time? Prof. BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, Ph.D: First, teachers need to carefully consider whether their students are adequately prepared for this type of assessment. Second, they must ensure that they themselves have prepared everything that is required. I always recommend discussing the criteria and the grading table in advance, as well as clarifying any technical details that may seem obvious to instructors but may not be equally clear or accessible to all students. And, of course, they should teach students to write feedback that focuses on improving the work, rather than criticizing the person. This is an important skill that is very important for their future professional work. How do you see the role of peer assessment in developing students’ metacognitive and communication skills? Prof. BLAŽENKA DIVJAK, Ph.D: Metacognition involves the ability to monitor one’s own learning process and evaluate outcomes. If you learn to do this during your studies,and peer assessment, along with self-assessment of more complex tasks, strongly supports this—it has long-term benefits. Peer assessment also helps studenty develop your communication skills, and providing feedback. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. In the continuation of the course, we will analyze examples and develop our own peer assessment strategies.