Unleashing the Power of Computer-Mediated Anonymous Peer Feedback in Enhancing Self-Regulated Learning

Abstract

Students were expected to employ self-regulated learning (SRL) skills to take control of their learning in computer-mediated learning environments during emergency remote teaching (ERT). Considering its importance, it is a must to foster SRL through various practices in English writing classes. Peer feedback is practical in that it enables students to monitor their writing, foster SRL skills, and facilitate learning. Therefore, the study aimed to explore the impact of computer-mediated anonymous peer feedback on students’ SRL skills and find out students’ experiences of giving and receiving feedback. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the study used an online SRL scale and reflective journals for data collection from preparatory school students. The data were analyzed using paired samples t-test and coding of the reflective journals. Results demonstrated that computer-mediated anonymous peer feedback significantly improved the SRL skills of students. Moreover, students stated that reviewing peers’ papers and making self-evaluations helped them improve their linguistic performance. However, it was found challenging to trust the provided feedback. Students also felt anxious about offending classmates or giving inaccurate feedback, embarrassed of making mistakes, and exhausted from reviewing papers. Along with these negative feelings, they also reported positive emotions such as self-confidence and enthusiasm. The results emphasize that computer-mediated anonymous peer feedback can be incorporated into English writing courses, especially in online settings. Future studies should investigate how computer-mediated anonymous peer feedback affects students’ writing performance and SRL skills in different modes of instruction among different student populations.