Does peer assessment work for students? An exploration of the effectiveness of student peer assessment in the Business School.Sally Bunce, Principal Lecturer in Business School

The researchers

• Sally Bunce, Principal Lecturer in Marketing, Business School

• Herminia Alonso, Visiting Lecturer, Business School

Advisor on student perspectives and logistics:

• Malgorzata Sokol, UH Graduate Employment Officer, Graduate Futures

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• Briefly examine the literature and background to the study

• Discuss the methodology for the study

• Consider the results of the study

• Invite delegates to comment on their experiences of peer assessment

Aims of presentation

• Literature review• In depth interviews with Business School staff to understand

experiences and perceptions of peer assessment in the Business School – a study by Herminia Alonso

• The methodology for the study was developed• Level 2 Advertising in Context Module was used in Sem:A • Students were consulted at beginning of module and

process explained• Peer assessment exercise Research took place in class on

Tuesday 1st Dec from 14.00-16.00 with 48 students from BA Marketing

• We are currently writing up the results

Background to the study

Business School – Growth

2002/03 – 2400 students 2008/09 – 3500 students

Photo: Thanks to Jenny Evans

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What is Peer-Assessment?

Students make assessment decisions on other student’s work; Race (2001)

Peer-assessment is a common form of shared learning in which students provide feedback on each others work. It improves the quality of learning and empowers students; McDowell and Mowl (1996).

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Peer-Assessment & Literature Review - Benefits

Some of the peer-assessment benefits identified in academic literature include:

•Improved understanding of subject matter

McDowell (1995); Papinczak et al. (2007); Ballantyne et al. (2002); Vickerman (2009)

•Potential to strengthen the link between tutors’ feedback and students’ learning

Orsmond et al. (2000); Liu & Tsai (2005); Dochy et al. (1999); Ljungman & Silen, (2008)

•Improve Student’s self assessment skills

Ballantyne et al. (2002); Vickerman (2009); Vickerman (2009); Ljungman & Silen (2008)

•Engage students in the process of learning and group interaction

Ballantyne et al. (2002) Vickerman (2009) Hawk & Shah (2007)

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Peer-Assessment & Literature Review- Limitations

Some of the peer-assessment limitations identified in academic literature include:

•Increased time and workload for both teachers and students

Boud et al. (2001); Vu et al. (2007); McDowell (1995); Topping et al. (2000); Papinczak et al. (2007); Ballantyne et al. (2002); Pond et al. (1995)

•Students may be unrealistic or biased in assessing peers and awarding grades

Boud et al., 2001; Vu et al., 2007

•Ethical challenges Boud et al., 2001; Vu et al., 2007; McDowell, 1995; Papinczak et al., 2007; Orsmond and Merry, 1996; Papinczak et al., 2007

•Specific difficulties with large classes

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The Task (15% of module marks)1. Essay topic was given on Nov 10th

2. Word limit: 600 – 700 words3. Deadline for Studynet submission: 23rd November by 23:304. Peer Assessment marking of essays in class – Tuesday 1nd

December. Attendance and participation was compulsory and worth 5% of module marks. The essay would be marked as usual by the tutor worth up to 10% of marks.

5. Students had to arrive in class with two printed copies of their essays with student ID number on only

6. Students worked in pairs and marked TWO ESSAYS7. An Indicative Answer for Subject Content was given to students with

grading only allowed at midpoint A2,B2,C2,D2, Fail8. However, students were asked to set three assessment criteria of

their own choosing and associated weighting, and award a grade9. They had to write feedback on forms for each essay, the student

markers would remain anonymous10. Questionnaire given to students at the end of the two hour session.

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What did we say to students?

• We need your feedback on your experience of peer-assessment & to what extent it supports your learning

• Your feedback will help shaping peer-assessment at UHBS

• The peer-assessment process will form part of a research into Learning & Teaching

• Participating in the peer-assessment process is compulsory.

• Participating in the peer-assessment research is voluntary and ethical approval has been gained

The Peer Assessment FormsTASK 1 – GROUP WORK, AGREEING ASSESSMENT CRITERIA(25 Minutes)This task aims to get you involved in discussing key elements to consider when assessing written work. We are asking you to swap your student hat for a tutor hat.

Group Work Logistics: 1.Brainstorm and write down the three key assessment criteria that you would like to include in the marking criteria. 10 minutes2.Agree the weight of each criterion. 5 minutes3.Briefly describe what sorts of performance evidence will demonstrate achievement of each criteria. 10 minutes

Tips to help you accelerate the process:If you do not agree on a criteria just throw a coin to decide on who is going to be the final decision maker for that specific criteria.If you do not agree on the weight of the criteria, try to identify the average

TASK 2 - PEER-ASSESSMENT  Student number on the assignment you are marking:_________________•  • Important: please concentrate on quality of feedback. It might help you when

giving feedback to think of:• The tone in which you write the feedback – positive, constructive criticism.• The content of feedback – concentrate on relevance and go to the point• Justification for their marks – Feedback should justify the grading you are

awarding. E.g. you should avoid stating that they did very well in criteria 1 and then provide a very low mark on criteria 1.

• What the student should do next to make this a better submission – what they should concentrate on to improve this essay and any other essays

•  • You are asked to write the final student mark at the back of this page.

The Peer Assessment Forms

The Peer Assessment Forms

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FEEDBACK FORM

please use the assessment criteria just agreed in your group

Criteria 1

Title:

Feedback:

Criteria 2

Title:

Feedback:

Criteria 3

Title:

Feedback:

The Results

• 48 students completed questionnaire at end of peer-assessment exercise

• 33% male, 67% female

• 87% aged 19-21

• 92% on BA Marketing,

• 89% had experienced peer assessment before for written work and 26% for presentations

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Q8. How difficult was it for you to provide a final mark for the assessment that you marked?

2%

35%

53%

10%

a. very diff icult

b. quite diff icult

c. not very diff icult

d. not diff icult at all

Q5. How difficult was it for you to provide feedback for the assessment that you marked?

4%

25%

58%

13% very diff icult

quite diff icult

not very diff icult

not diff icult at all

Q5Q8

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Viewing other students’ work Understanding of assessment criteria

Other students interpret work (1)How other people approached the same task (2)Good to see the way my peers have done the work (11)Showed others work (17)it was a good idea to read other students' essays (21)comparison of other students work (23)It is really good to be able to have a critical view of others' work (33)

Assessment criteria understanding (1)knowing criteria (12)

Knowledge or marking criteria (23)Found out the model answer criteria (39)

Q9. Did you feel the peer-assessment exercise contributed to your overall learning experience related to assessment? POSITIVE

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How assessments are marked Structure and proof reading

How assessment are markedhelps make us realise where our work standsgives us an insight into marking process

Useful to learn how to mark Understanding how marking is doneGives me an insight to marking in generalMore aware of marking standardsSeeing how your work is marked

realise importance of getting someone else to read work before submitting in case of vocab / grammar mistakes Structure

It showed me other peoples styles of essay writingit helps to see different ads examples and different structures

Q9. Did you feel the peer-assessment exercise contributed to your overall learning experience related to assessment? POSITIVE

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Doing assignment with marking criteria in mind, being critical

Helps working this in mindcould see what to do and not to doHelped to be more criticalGood to analyze the workMakes you think about how you can improve your workhelped to distinguish what is being asked ofunderstanding how the essay is meant to be, style, content, etc. it helps me with further essaysIdea of how to do it or not to do it next timeShowed me how or what to do include in assignments in the futureBetter understanding of the assessment and how to go about writing it againWays you could improve assignment for next timeShow me where I went wrong Helps me notice my flawsI learned about the marking criteria

Q9. Did you feel the peer-assessment exercise contributed to your overall learning experience related to assessment? POSITIVE

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Q9. Did you feel the peer-assessment exercise contributed to your overall learning experience related to assessment? NEGATIVE

• Students felt it did not teach them anything•No relevant to module of Advertising•Because of logistics•Not useful because tutor assessment criteria was different•Because teachers are trained in assessing

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Q10: What % of final mark should peer assessment count towards?

0

5

10

15

20

25

a. 0% b. 5% c. 10% d. 15% e. 20% f. 25% g. 30%

Q11: In how many modules per year? (out of 8)

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0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

None o

f the

mod

ules

1 Mod

ule

2 Mod

ules

3 Mod

ules

4 Mod

ules

5 Mod

ules

6 Mod

ules

7 Mod

ules

All of t

he m

odule

s

Q11: At which level?

22

50%

34%

13%

3%a. Year 1

b. Year 2

c. Year 3

d. None

Q13: Overall experience of peer assessment?

23

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

"5" excellent "4" "3" "2" "1" very poor

How did student marks compare with tutor’s marks?

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 Same Mark

Under marked

Over marked

Value 21 21 10% 44% 44% 21%

What % over or under tutor’s marks? Mark awarded by student as % of mark awarded by

tutor by same piece of work

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The way forward

• Write up the results fully• Make further links with the literature review• Share and discuss further with colleagues• Consider if peer marks can be “counted”

towards assessment for modules without being overseen by tutors

• Consider what % of marks for peer assessment

• At what level of study?26

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Thanks for listening!Any Questions? Any comments?