Peer assessment using a digital tool
Peer assessments are a valuable tool to use with student groupwork to encourage students to reflect on and critically evaluate not just their own learning and skill development, but those of their team members as well in preparation for their professional careers.
2. Process and product
To effectively assess learning outcomes achieved from group work, it is best to assess not just the final product, but the process as well.
Group members are better placed to assess the process; the functional dynamics of the group, the contributions of team members and the expertise they have demonstrated within the group. While you assess the product, your students will contribute to the overall assessment through the peer assessments they perform, focussing on how well each group member has collaborated (Chin, 2016).
To assess the process, you might consider the following criteria for the rubric you develop for your peer assessment to address:
- adoption of group roles and responsibilities
- application of leadership skills
- demonstration of problem solving
- cooperation and effective communication
- responsiveness to feedback (both teacher and peer)
- organisation and time management
- equity of contributions.
Question options
Peer assessment tools usually allow for each group member to evaluate each individual within the group including themselves, and the group itself, through:
- peer questions – where each student rates each group member, including themself, individually
- group questions – where each student rates the group as a whole.