Peer Assessment in Online Collaborative Learning

Increasing performance

Sven Ake Bjørke & Aleksandra Lazareva

Communities of practice

Learning is at least partly a social activity, and depends on interaction with other human beings

Knowledge

• There is a vast difference between information and knowledge

• To gain knowledge, learning must take place• Deep learning requires advanced cognitive

processes• Constructive alignment between content,

process and assessment

Traditional teaching

• The teacher transmits information to the students covering the curriculum

• Individual learning• Competition for grades• CCR: Copy, Cram and Reproduce• Knowledge perceived as objective• Learning relation is between student - teacher

The four Cs

Four key qualities for the Information Age

Creative, efficient Communicator,

Critical thinker and

Collaborator

Scaffolding• Two categories of legitimate peripheral participants:– Those who actually want to join– Those who free-ride

• Scaffolding does not solve problems in case of free-riding or social loafing

• What to do with free riders and social loafers to help them become part of the CoP?

• Increase social pressure from the peers (e.g., peer assessment)– In the breakout session: practical introduction

Challenges for teachers

• From transmission of information to co-constructing knowledge

• More responsibility to students• From teacher-centred to learning-centred

collaboration

Challenges for students

• Information literacy – critical assessment• Peers are collaborators, not competitors• Manage group work – be proactive• Intercultural communication• Give feedback/assessment to peers

Learning

• Through elaborating on content, speculating, solving problems, expressing and negotiating meaning, reciprocal questioning

• Through formative feedback from tutors and peers

• Through reflection

The international online E-teaching course

E-teaching 1 & 2 courses

• International online courses• Heterogeneous student groups• Learning-focused• Process- and product-oriented• Learning is increased participation

High quality learning situation -”Productive interaction”

• Active engagement• Frequent teamwork• Regular interaction and feedback• Basis in realistic and motivating tasks• Contextualised• Dynamic and adapted for change• Peer assessment

Collaborative learning circle

Read

Discuss

Assess

ReflectDo / Make

Assess

Discuss

Important points

• Course descriptions with clear ILOs• Comprehensive study guides• Caring and easily accessible online tutors• Continuous formative feedback– See the feedback form

How to work in a group

• Select the weaver• Rotate responsibilities• Divide work• Set deadlines• Plan ahead• Keep each other

informed

Weaving

• The “weaver” pulls together “threads” contributed by all group members

• Good quality cloth needs good quality threads

• Weaver is an editor, not the sole author• Don't put all the load on the weaver!

Typical steps in a group project

• Plan, schedule, divide responsibilities• Background reading and research• Discussion• Group members send inputs to weaver• Weaver writes first draft and circulates to

group• Discussion and comments to weaver• Weaver produces final report and hands in

Assessment

E-teaching 1• 60% home exam• 30% group hand-in • 10% individual portfolio:– Online quizzes– Participation statistics– Contributions in discussion forum & group hand-ins

E-teaching 2• 70% own course description, study guide & blog• 30% individual portfolio

Peer assessment

• Experience E-teaching 1– Resistance– Outside comfort zone: ordinary communication line

teacher-student• Experience ET2– Written assessment of (at least) 2 peers

• Course description• Study guide• Blog• Course room in LMS

Summative assessment

• External sensors have access to the LMS & individual portfolios and grade according to the quality of– Course description– Study guide– Blog– Peer assessments

• Students demonstrate empathy and ability to give effective formative assessment to peers (part of the COP)

– Course room in LMS

Thank you

• Images in the presentation– https://pixabay.com/– https://stocksnap.io/