How can student peer assessment be used to improve the quality of student learning?

Abstract

This study looks at student peer assessment as a learning tool and a way of enhancing student learning at a university in England. Peer assessment is a formative process and has the aim of improving student understanding of learning as it happens, through assessing each other's work against set marking criteria. In addition, the aim is to improve students' subject knowledge, the quality of learning and ultimately the quality of summative assessments. Peer assessment has gained increased popularity in the recent years, with the growing focus on collaborative learning (Pearce, Mulder and Baik, 2009). The aim of this study was to determine if peer review, as part of formative assessment, can improve student understanding of the assessment process, which, in turn, should improve student learning. Moreover, the study was designed as a resource for improving for teaching staff, who may wish to consider integrating student peer assessment in their modules. Although there are benefits and limitations to using this method in teaching, the study suggests that the benefits outweigh the difficulties and recommends that student peer assessment is used as an alternative way of finding the balance between different forms of assessment.