The Learning and Teaching Conference 2015
22nd April 2015
Utilising online peer-review as a vehicle for
student learning and assessment
Dr Vikki McCall
Dr Ian McIntosh
& Louise McIntosh
School of Applied Social Science
Outline
• Background
– What is Peer-review?
– What can you learn from the process?
• Peermark
• How we used it
– Undergraduate
– Postgraduate
• Benefits and Challenges
What is Peer-review?
Falchikov (1995) defines peer assessment as
the process through which groups of
individuals rate their peers.
(in Dochy et al. 1999)
Moving beyond independent to
interdependent or mutual learning
(Boud 1988 in Boud et al. 2001, original
emphasis)
Learning from Peer-review
“Peer assessment of writing and peer
assessment using marks, grades, and tests
have shown positive formative effects on
student achievement and attitudes. These
effects are as good as or better than the
effects of teacher assessment”
(Topping 1998: 249)
Student name
Student name
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Student name
Undergraduate example
Student 1: I believe that this essay is a good attempt at answering the question. However, I
think that it could have been more clear and precise on HOW structure and agency are
important to sociology, as this was the question, but this seems to look more at just the
relationship between them and what the different theorists believe. I also think the conclusion
as on the lengthy side and repeated some of what was already said in the main body of the
essay.
Student 2: The authors description of the theories often sent the assignment away from the
question of the importance of the relationship between the two. I did however find the
comparison the theories of Marx and Weber very effective in provided critique and
comparison which tied the essay up nicely.
Student 3: I think some ideas were presented better than others, for example in the
paragraph which describes Pierre Bourdieu, I find the author has not explained Habitus that
well and does not really relate this back to the question effectively. However the paragraph on
Giddens is effective as it is explained well and relates to the question much more effectively.
Student name
Student name
Postgraduate example
Student name
Guidance
Hand out
Positives
Postgrad (non-optional assessment):
• 100% submission
• No requests for extension
Undergrad (optional assessment)
• 90% turnout
• 19/21 students undertook the Essay 1 Peermark
assignment
• 70/78 students undertook the Essay 2 Peermark
assignment
• 94/102 undertook Essay 3 Peer Review [92%]
Positives
•
•
•
•
Online element makes it flexible
Submission numbers are very high
NO requests for extension
Less staff time required for marking (in
theory)
• Students benefit from multiple reviews and
a lot more feedback
Case study – Amy, MSc student
“I found the peer review task very difficult and a bit
threatening at first especially since I hadn’t actually met
anyone I was either reviewing or being reviewed by but the
learning I gained from this was amazing. I was returning to
studying after a very long time and in term 1 had produced
passes in essay with comments that my content was suitable
but my approach to developing and argument and critical
appraisal needed work. Through both the comments from
peers and also through critically reading the assignments of
other students I became aware of what I could do to really
improve the structure and content of my work and this was
reflected in much better grades in all my subjects on term 2”
Challenges
•
•
•
•
Communication, especially around how it works
Students may miss out on a review?
The idea of peer-assessment can be intimidating
Resource intensive on the teaching side (at
times)
• Requires increased preparation time for students
and tutors.
Conclusions
• The online system requires preparation to
use, but the Succeed system is userfriendly
• Peer assessment challenges both students
and tutors
• Peer assessment can be seen to increase
engagement at both undergraduate and
postgraduate levels
Contact details
vikki.mccall@stir.ac.uk
Ian.mcintosh@stir.ac.uk
l.m.mcintosh@stir.ac.uk
References
Boud, D. Cohen, R. and Sampson, J. (2001) Peer learning in higher education, London: Kogan Page lmt
Dochy. F , Segers, M & Sluijsmans, D (1999) ‘The use of self-, peer and co-assessment in higher education: A review’, Studies in Higher
Education, 24:3, 331-350
Topping, K. (1998) ‘Peer Assessment Between Students in Colleges and Universities’, Review of Educational Research, 68:3, 249-276