Click or clique? Using Educational Technology to Address Students’ Anxieties About Peer Evaluation

Abstract

Peer bias is recognised as a primary factor in negative student perceptions of peer assessment strategies. This study trialled the use of classroom response systems, widely known as clickers, in small seminar classes in order to actively engage students in their subject's assessment process while providing the anonymity that would lessen the impact of peer pressure. Focus group reflection on the students' impressions of the peer evaluation process, the use of clickers, and their anxieties about potential peer bias were analysed in the light of the results of teacher and class evaluations of each individual student presentation. The findings revealed that students recognised the value of peer assessment in promoting class engagement and active learning, despite their ongoing resistance to the practice of peer review. An unexpected finding suggested that the clickers, selected as an educational technology for their appeal and ease of use by the 'digital native' student already familiar with a variety of mobile communication and gaming devices, reinforced student perception that the peer review process was akin to a popularity contest. Abstract Peer bias is recognised as a primary factor in negative student perceptions of peer assessment strategies. This study trialled the use of classroom response systems, widely known as clickers, in small seminar classes in order to actively engage students in their subject's assessment process while providing the anonymity that would lessen the impact of peer pressure. Focus group reflection on the students' impressions of the peer evaluation process, the use of clickers, and their anxieties about potential peer bias were analysed in the light of the results of teacher and class evaluations of each individual student presentation. The findings revealed that students recognised the value of peer assessment in promoting class engagement and active learning, despite their ongoing resistance to the practice of peer review. An unexpected finding suggested that the clickers, selected as an educational technology for their appeal and ease of use by the 'digital native' student already familiar with a variety of mobile communication and gaming devices, reinforced student perception that the peer review process was akin to a popularity contest.

Engagement Levels in a Graphic Design Clicker Class: Students’ Perceptions around Attention, Participation and Peer Learning

“…However, there is less evidence for the use of clickers to enhance student engagement in small classes (Walker & Barwell, 2009). This study set out to investigate students' perceptions on the use of clickers in a small Graphic Design ECP course to improve their attention, participation, and active class discussions.…”

Enhancing Student Engagement and Self-Evaluation Using Student Response Systems

“…The introduction of SRS has facilitated self and relative assessment. Students can recognize their ability relative to their peers given the active learning nature of SRS (Hoekstra, 2008;Walker and Barwell, 2009). Self and relative assessment have been associated with improved personal responsibility, improved performance (Nulty, 2011) and the ability for students to recognize and address knowledge gaps (Topping, 1998).…”

Live peer marking for HCI design education

“…There have been other studies using EVS for peer assessment. Walker and Barwell [5] did so for the marking of presentations in Humanities seminars. There however, the mark was only formative, and only seen by the students being marked after the lecturer himself had subsequently marked it summatively.…”