A case study of the development of WebPA: An online peer‐moderated marking tool

Abstract

Peer moderation of group work in higher education is rapidly advancing through the use of technological developments and is increasingly being informed by pedagogical research. The highly successful WebPA online assessment system has gone through a number of development phases over its 15-year history and has now evolved into a relatively mature and flexible tool for facilitating group work. This paper presents a case study of the approaches that have been used in the system's development from the technical perspective, and describes how the scope of the project has massively expanded and that the development has been continually backed by a sound and wideranging pedagogy. The benefits of using the online system are shown to be underpinned throughout by examples of good practice in the supervision of academic group work. A critical evaluation of the tool and surrounding pedagogical practices highlight future areas for technical expansion. Introduction to peer-moderated markingThe term peer-moderated marking is used, in this instance, to describe the process undertaken by students to assess the performance of themselves and their peer group in relation to a group task or a series of tasks. The process generates individual team member 'weighting factors' from the students' input data that are used to vary (moderate) group marks, which are assessed and allocated by academic supervisors in the usual way. The claimed result is individually weighted marks that are fairer and more apposite for each individual student. WebPA is a computer-based tool, developed at Loughborough University over a period of nearly 15 years, to automate and promote the process.

Making Sense of Assessment Feedback in Higher Education

“…However, the majority of these studies also report the variable impact of peer feedback on student performance (Ballantyne et al, 2002;Bloxham & West, 2004). Loddington, Pond, Wilkinson, and Willmot (2009) found that only more mature students appreciated peer assessment as an educational support and teamwork development tool. Gielen et al (2011) noted that performance of students did improve but not for high-ability assessees.…”

Using technology to encourage student engagement with feedback: a literature review

“…Technological innovations and developments have been used to engage students in the process of peer assessment and peer feedback (Freeman and McKenzie 2002;Li, Liu, and Steckelberg 2010;Loddington et al 2009). Both Freeman and McKenzie (2002) and Loddington et al (2009) illustrate that the use of technology can improve the fairness of group assessment by acknowledging, rating and rewarding individual contributions and enhancing students' learning from team tasks, whereas Li, Liu, and Steckelberg (2010) found a significant relationship between the quality of the peer feedback the students provided for others and the quality of the students' own final projects.…”

Peer Assessment in Engineering Group Projects: A Literature Survey

“…The SMARTER extends CATME and attempts to link educational research with teaching faculty actions to enhance learning of teamwork skills [19]. Finally, WebPA is an online peermoderated marking system [16]. It is designed for giving individual marks to students working in groups and doing group-work, whose outcome of earns an overall group mark.…”