Running head: Peer Assessment 1

Writing Assignment Unit 2: Peer Assessment

University of the People

UNIV 1001 Online Education Strategies

Michelle Roberts, Instructor

July 2, 2019
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Writing Assignment Unit 2: Peer Assessment

1. What is peer assessment, and why do we use it at University of the People?

Peer assessment is a collaborative education methodology that involves a group studying

the same subject. In this methodology, the student has to do an assignment that is mediated by an

instructor/professor. Study material or a table of content is provided as a reference for the

assignment and each member of the group has two main demands: produce a text based on the

topic abording the assignment task and then review and give feedback about the other members of

the group.

The peer assessment can be quantitative, qualitative or a mixed version of quantitative and

qualitative method. In the quantitative method, a score is provided by peers. In the qualitative

method, no score is provided. Instead of it, written feedback is given. The mixed version a score

and written feedback is given and this is the method that is used in the University of People,

generally in the discussion forum and in the written assignment (Rosa, 2016).

The instructor/professor role is indispensable to ensure the quality of discussion, stimulate

with relevant questions and mediate the feedback when it is needed. Sometimes the evaluation of

some peers is insufficient or in cases that peers’ evaluation is inconsistent or with a wide range of

grades the instructor/professor needs to complete this gap.

2. What are the benefits of peer assessment?

The benefits of peer assessment are based in place all members of a community or a group

as agents that contribute to building mutual knowledge.

In this methodology the learning processes has the purpose of sharing of resources, which

promotes an increase of knowledge, as well as the sense of belonging and identity in the people

who experience it, activities and the acquisition of knowledge is not restricted only to the
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educational environment, being essentially applied and used for the social, intellectual,

psychological, cultural or emotional development of the individual.

3. What are the challenges of giving peer feedback in peer assessment?

Put relevance and stimulate the discussion in an analytical and fact bases are the most

challenging aspect of giving feedback in peer assessment. To do it is required reliable information,

with trusted resources.

Citations and references are always needed in peer assessment in the academic

environment in this aspect and to avoid plagiarism as well.

Another challenge to give feedback is that in this process we always think about our own

work and often notice some issues in it or a way to get better.’

In all these challenges the weight of responsibility is always present because of the personal

processes of learning and the contribution to the other people process of learning.

4. What are the challenges of receiving peer feedback in peer assessment?

An open mind to new ideas and corrections are the most relevant aspects of receiving

feedback in the peer assessment. And in the other way when the feedback is all compliments we

lost some referential to know where to get better, what is a challenge as well.

To deal with the other peers’ judgments about our work sometimes can be a difficult task,

since we have to reconsider our reading of the world and our own opinion about a subject. When

challenges like this are overcome, the engagement and the growing process in the studies are a

huge benefit of the peer assessment.

For each challenge in receiving feedback, we can get a great benefit in the processes and it

is associated with the regular experience of analyze and evaluate others work and trace a parallel

with our own work.

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5. What strategies will you use to peer assess written assignments? How will you assess

discussion assignments?!

The most important aspect is to have the needed references for the discussion and the

assessment tasks must be very clear in each element that is required: minimum word count,

essential aspects of the assignment, grammar and concordance, text clearness, relevance of the

content, never incur in plagiarism and always have good references to sustain the argumentative

line.

With this as an assess point, give feedback in the discussions assignments is supported with

good and clear criteria in order to assist my peers and me. Absorb these criteria and the content of

the feedback in the assess discussion assignments also gives parameters to supply the expectations

of what each one needs to produce in the discussion.

My personal perspective and experience are unique, as each other one that integrates the

group experience is. In this aspect, give my perspective will help diversification and will enrich

the discussion.

As a final and no less important aspect of the strategy, it is always necessary to keep in

mind that a proper language in the academic environment is obligatory. Being cordial and

comprehensive with each one that is part of the group is not only a skill or a good practice, but it

is also a required attitude in the peer assessment. Be as much respect as it is possible is the key to

have a good relationship in the discussion process.

Word count: 846

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References

Rosa, S. S., Coutinho, C. P., & Flores, M. A. (2016, August 04). Online Peer Assessment: Method

and Digital Technologies. Retrieved from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042816309909?via=ihub.

Saint Leo University. (2016, November 17). 20 tips for writing an A+ discussion post for your

online class. Retrieved from https://www.saintleo.edu/blog/20-tips-for-writing-an-a-

discussion-post-for-your-online-program-class

University of New South Wales Sydney. (2018). Answering assignment questions. Retrieved from

https://student.unsw.edu.au/answering-assignment-questions

University of Strathclyde Glasgow. (2007). Research on peer review. Retrieved from

https://www.reap.ac.uk/PEER/Research.aspx