Exploring the Role of Training in Promoting Students’ Peer-Feedback Including Critical Peer-Feedback

Abstract

The question of how critical-thinking skills could be integrated into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pedagogy has been one of the main concerns in the field of language teaching and learning as they have a great potential to increase the quality of learning and teaching. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether training based on peer feedback, including critical feedback, contributes to participants’ peer feedback and critical feedback performances. The participants, who were undergraduate English Language Teaching (ELT) students (n = 40), were exposed to an 8-week training program in which several feedback criteria, including critical ones, were introduced to them. Data obtained from the participants’ pre-test and post-test peer feedback performances and semi-structured interviews were analyzed by using SPSS and content analysis, respectively. The results revealed that the training improved performance in providing peer feedback, including critical peer feedback. Finally, learners reported satisfaction with the training program, although some challenges were encountered in the process.

What Do Teachers Need? A Probe of Best Practice for Assessment as Learning in EFL Writing Class

“…It is in line with [31] and [5] who suggested that encouraging and motivating students to be more involved in peer review and self-checklist assessment could promote learners" assessment as learning, so it can promote learners" ongoing development of metacognitive and cognitive capacities in assessing compositions. Then, the results of the study are in contrast with [21], [22], [23] who found that the students were discouraged by peer feedback or peer review practices; [32] who found that the students felt that peer feedback did not work to them because they felt that the teacher is more competent, professional, and trusted to provide feedback; [33] who stated that the students did not utilize peer feedback meticulously because they felt lazy and believed that peer feedback is not adequate; and [34] who mentioned that based on the results of an interview, some students expressed that their peer review was too general through saying it is good, which cannot provide any information to what they should correct and revise. Some significant contributions that are presented by this study are teacher"s challenges in teaching writing such as feeling overwhelmed due to the load of work, plagiarism, and how to organize the ideas; and teacher"s strategies in preparing and utilizing self-assessment and peer review in teaching writing through encouraging and motivating them, teachers" plan and activities to guide the students through analyzing and ensuring the students when they correct other students" draft, and through conducting this activity, it can help the teacher to reduce their works because the teacher could not need to check the grammar or providing teacher feedback.…”

Students’ Perceptions Towards Technology-supported Collaborative Peer Feedback

“…They should also know what practitioners expect them to do in the process. Besides, earlier studies (see, for example, Kaya & Yaprak, 2020) have shown that when students are trained about how to give effective peer feedback, their self-confidence is boosted, and they tend to provide more useful and high-quality peer feedback. Thus, offering students training about how to edit others' written products objectively by paying attention to mechanical issues, structure and organisation, critical comments on content, and suggestions to improve them could be a wise attempt to get desired outcomes in this interactional process.…”

“…Among other forms of alternative assessment, peer feedback is regarded moderately practical and valid and highly authentic. It is valued as it enhances higher-order thinking skills such as reflection and problem solution (Kaya & Yaprak, 2020). However, the conventional view of language assessment questions its reliability and objectivity in that language learners still trying to master the language are regarded incapable of evaluate others' work accurately and subjectivity could hamper the process (Brown, 2004).…”

Impact of feedback strategies on the learning of university students. A systematic review from 2016 to 2022

“…Entre pares [57], [32], [17], [39], [19], [20], [21], [51], [22], [52], [35], [36], [46], [53], [29], [41] Es un proceso en el que los estudiantes participan en conversaciones para retroalimentar sus trabajos. Ellos analizan, critican, manifiest an argumentos a favor o en contra, que permite a corto o largo plazo, mejorar sus procesos cognitivos para redactar ensayos argumentativos [35].…”