Collaborative peer-feedback practices in hybrid learning environments

Abstract

The article describes a technology-mediated collaborative peer-feedback experience. 125 students took part into the activity during the delivery of a 3-months teaching in "Methodology of Action Research", within a 3-year Degree Course in Psychological, Social and Occupational Sciences. The activity was based on a 4-phases cycle of collaborative output production, structured peer-feedback, collaborative output improvement, individual reflection. The aim of the exploratory case-study here presented is to observe if and how the peer-feedback activity supported the development of collaborative, meta-cognitive and digital skills, other than knowledge acquisition. To answer our research questions, we used a mixed system, able to provide both objective data with respect to the activity carried out and the skills put in place, and subjective data related to the students' personal experience and the perceived impact on their learning. Results show a good appropriation of metacognitive skills and offer numerous hints on the design aspects which have been found to be effective in supporting students' learning.

Boundary Devices for Reflexive Teachers

“…Altogether, we believe that the results of the current study may have strong practical implications in both designing teacher training aimed at developing an appropriate habitus of reflexivity and research [4] as well as in the daily classroom practice. In the first case, training paths should always require the continuous use of individual though shared semi-structured diaries (see paragraph 2), serving the dual purpose of documenting and analyzing the learning practices and processes being performed during the training-as it has been shown in this study.…”

“…The reflective diary would, in fact, stimulate the teachers' inclination to reflect on their own research-training process and positioning within the working group, whether represented by the micro, meso, or macro context of belonging [39], whether connected to the world of research. Furthermore, the sharing of teachers' personal reflective diaries, seen as a 'warm' documentation tool in contrast to institutional and merely bureaucratic ones, would be an effective means of peer-to-peer practices in research and training contexts, also promoting constructive and fruitful dialogue among professionals towards the peer feedback strategy [4].…”

“…It is concretely defined as the ability to reflect on one's own experience by making inferences and to distance from practice through a recourse to theory, finally ending in the formalization of action knowledge [3]. Thus conceptualized, reflexivity appears to be a key focus when designing teachers' training; therefore, designers (and trainers) need to plan (and put in place) situated and proactive learning contexts in which reflexivity is supported by specific participatory devices [4]. This is the case of the study presented here in which we analyzed the diary-based reflexive practices that took place in a master's degree dedicated to various kinds of educators and inspired by the Trialogical Learning Approach (TLA) [5].…”

Online Learning Logbooks as Boundary Objects Across Educational Contexts

“…Reflexivity assumes a pivotal role in the strategic development of teachers' training programs. Designers and trainers must therefore meticulously orchestrate and implement situated and proactive learning contexts that nurture reflexivity and are facilitated by purpose-built participatory instruments [1]. Considering this framework, we conducted an in-depth analysis of logbook-based reflexive practices within a master's degree program tailored to a diversified array of educators.…”