Technology supported formative peer assessment: an examination of student perceptions in the development of employability skills

Abstract

With the growing need for post-secondary education to develop students’ employability skills, authentic learning environments require authentic assessments. Peer assessment has been used successfully in a variety of contexts and disciplines and has proven to positively impact learning, particularly when used in a formative fashion. It does, however, present administrative challenges for instructors. This research project examined student perceptions of the use of formative peer assessment in the development of employability skills and investigated the use of a discussion forum in Desire2Learn to facilitate the process. Students viewed peer assessment as a positive learning experience and there was a high level of acceptance of peer assessment being a fair way to grade an individual’s contribution to a group project. In addition, there was a noticeable increase in student confidence levels in both their ability and their peers’ ability to provide feedback. Students preferred using an online tool to submit and access peer feedback, and there was a substantial savings of time with respect to managing the process.