Structuring peer assessment: Comparing the impact of the degree of structure on peer feedback content

• Published in: Computers in human behavior 2015-11, Vol.52, p.315-325
• Main Authors: Gielen, Mario, De Wever, Bram
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Computer-supported collaborative learning; Content analysis; Peer assessment; Peer feedback content; Scripting; Wiki environment
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.06.019

•We examine the impact of a peer feedback template with varying structuring degree.•All students provide a balanced proportion of verifications and elaborations.•In general, students provide slightly more positive and suggestive peer feedback.•More structure directs the focus of peer feedback more on particular criteria.•A higher structuring degree can be beneficial for peer feedback content quality. The present study examines the added value of structuring the peer assessment process, by providing students with a peer feedback template with a varying structuring degree, for the peer feedback content quality in a wiki environment in higher education. The present study took place in the 1st year of a university course in Instructional Sciences (N=176) and more specifically compared three conditions: no structure peer feedback (control), basic structure peer feedback, and elaborate structure peer feedback condition. Quantitative content analysis of students’ (n=41) peer feedback messages was performed, and an analysis of (co)variance revealed some discrepancies between the conditions regarding the proportion of peer feedback content categories: (1) peer feedback style, (2) verification type, (3) verification focus, (4) elaboration type, and (5) elaboration focus. This study demonstrated that a higher structuring degree in a peer feedback template during the peer assessment process might have an impact on peer feedback content with respect to the above-mentioned categories; the peer feedback content. Results revealed significant differences between the three conditions regarding the peer feedback content categories. This study illustrated how a practical instructional intervention in the feedback process can increase the potential impact of peer assessment and boost students’ learning in higher education.