Implementing Peer Evaluations in Your Courses

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11/21/2024

Iryna Ashby, Instructional Designer, Online Learning and Technology, CCRI

Implementing Peer Evaluations in Your Courses 

Peer evaluation is a powerful tool for fostering student engagement, accountability, and a sense of community in online courses. By involving students in assessing each other’s work, you can encourage critical thinking, expand perspectives, and improve students' communication and evaluation skills. Successful peer evaluation, however, requires thoughtful structuring, clear expectations, and a supportive environment. 

Below are three peer evaluation activities, each with a distinct approach to foster meaningful interactions and accompanied by detailed rubrics to guide structured feedback. 

Peer Review Workshop: “Two Stars and a Wish”

Description: The “Two Stars and a Wish” technique involves students providing two positive observations and one suggestion for improvement on each peer’s work. This approach maintains a constructive tone while helping students focus on both strengths and areas for growth. 

Implementation: 

• Divide students into groups and assign each student one to two drafts to review. 

• Encourage students to look for specific examples of clarity, creativity, and support for arguments or ideas. 

• Use a rubric to help students provide targeted feedback on each draft. 

Real-Life Scenario: In a creative writing course, students were asked to review each other’s story openings. One student received feedback that highlighted a “vivid setting” and “relatable main character” as strengths, with a “wish” to increase tension in the opening scene. This feedback led the student to make adjustments, enhancing the narrative's depth and intrigue.

Collaborative Project Feedback: The Midpoint Check-In

Description: In group projects, a midpoint peer evaluation allows students to provide feedback on each other’s contributions, effort, and teamwork skills halfway through the assignment. This approach helps maintain accountability and offers an opportunity for students to make adjustments before project completion. 

Implementation: 

• At the midpoint of the project, each group member completes an anonymous feedback form rating their peers' contributions, communication, and dependability. 

• Feedback should address specific aspects of teamwork, providing constructive suggestions for improvement. 

• Final feedback is collected at project completion to assess individual contributions over the entire project. 

Real-Life Scenario: In a case study project, a team member received feedback that she was taking on a disproportionate workload. Her teammates encouraged her to distribute tasks more evenly, which led to a more balanced and collaborative project.

Discussion Board Peer Review: Critical Thinking and Engagement

Description: In an online discussion board, students rate each other’s posts on criteria such as originality, depth of thought, and relevance. This peer evaluation structure can make discussions more interactive, encourage critical thinking, and deepen engagement with the course content. 

Implementation: 

• Students are instructed to evaluate two peer posts on specified criteria, such as originality and analytical depth. 
• They provide comments on each post, focusing on strengths and areas for further exploration or clarification. 
• A rubric is provided to ensure consistency in feedback. 

Real-Life Scenario: In a literature course discussion, students reviewed posts on the theme of resilience in a novel. One student highlighted a peer’s unique interpretation and relevance to other characters. The discussion evolved as both students expanded on the theme, creating a richer analysis. 

Tips for Successful Peer Evaluation Implementation 

Implementing effective peer evaluation requires planning, clear communication, and support. The following tips can help create a positive experience for both students and faculty: 

Model Effective Feedback

Show students examples of constructive feedback, discussing what makes feedback actionable and respectful. Model how to provide specific suggestions rather than vague or overly critical comments, setting a positive tone for peer evaluation.  

Here are some considerations to guide students and model feedback for students: 

Criteria	Examples
Is the main idea or argument presented in a clear and understandable manner? Students should evaluate if the purpose of the work is evident and easy to follow.	Positive Example: “Your main argument about the impact of social media on communication is very clear. Starting with a concise thesis statement helps set up the paper, and each paragraph reinforces your main point.”  Constructive Example: “Your main argument on social media's effects is interesting, but the purpose could be clearer. Consider rephrasing your thesis in the introduction to make it more straightforward, such as ‘This paper will explore how social media influences interpersonal communication by...’ This change will help readers understand your focus right away.”
Are points well-supported with examples, data, or evidence? Feedback should highlight areas where more support is needed or acknowledge well-supported arguments.	Positive Example: “You did a great job supporting your points with recent data. For instance, the statistics about social media usage provided a solid foundation for your argument on its influence on mental health.”  Constructive Example: “The section on mental health impacts could benefit from more supporting evidence. Adding a specific study or data point—perhaps about the increase in social media use over the last decade and its correlation with mental health trends—would make your argument stronger and more convincing.”
Does the work present ideas in a creative, interesting, and engaging manner? Students should assess if the work captures attention and presents unique perspectives.	Positive Example: “Your use of storytelling to illustrate the impact of social media on personal relationships makes the argument engaging and relatable. The personal anecdotes help bring the topic to life for readers.”  Constructive Example: “The argument about social media’s effects is strong, but it could be more engaging. Maybe consider starting with a real-life example or hypothetical scenario to draw the reader in. For instance, you could start with ‘Imagine scrolling through your feed and feeling...’ This could make the topic more relatable.”
Is feedback respectful, specific, and actionable? Students are encouraged to provide insights that are clear, positive, and encourage improvement.	Positive Example: “I really appreciated the way you structured your points—it made the paper easy to follow. One suggestion I have is to add a transition sentence between the third and fourth paragraphs to make the flow even smoother.”  Constructive Example: “You have a lot of good ideas here, and I can tell you put thought into this work. One area to improve could be the organization of your ideas. Maybe try outlining your main points first and then adding transitions between each section. This might help your argument progress more logically for readers.”

 

Provide Clear Guidelines 

Detailed rubrics and criteria help students understand expectations and provide more consistent feedback. For example, instead of asking if they “liked” a paper, a rubric can prompt them to evaluate the clarity, structure, and depth of the argument, helping them focus on specific areas. 

Example: This rubric provides a structured framework to assess the quality and effectiveness of peer feedback. 

Example Rubric

Start with Low-Stakes Assignments

Begin with a low-stakes assignment for initial peer evaluations to allow students to build confidence. This gives them a chance to practice feedback without high-pressure stakes, establishing a positive foundation for future evaluations. 

Encourage Reflection on Feedback Received

Following a peer evaluation activity, encourage students to reflect on the feedback they received. In a short paragraph or journal entry, students can summarize what they learned and how they plan to apply the feedback, fostering self-assessment skills. 

Balance Anonymity and Openness

Anonymity can encourage honest feedback, particularly for individual assignments, whereas open feedback is generally more effective in team projects to support accountability and trust. Adjust anonymity settings based on the needs of each activity. 

Provide Feedback on the Peer Evaluation Process

After each peer evaluation round, provide general observations on the feedback quality. Highlight examples of effective feedback, offer tips for improvement, and reinforce the importance of constructive and specific comments.

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