Beginning when I was in grade 3, it became a part of the language curriculum to present a speech in front of my classmates. This speech was to be between 5 and 7 minutes in length and could revolve around any chosen topic of interest. For example, I recall presenting a speech on chocolate, my grandmother, and the experiences of having older brothers. When I was in grade 6, our teacher Mr. H asked that listening students complete peer-assessments during speech presentations. The peer-assessments would first be reviewed by the teacher and then would be awarded to presenters as feedback following their speech. When I reflect on this experience, I can recognize the significant effort put forth by Mr. H to ensure that our peer-assessments were academic and beneficial. I will highlight some of the strategies that he implemented as I feel that they are necessary in creating a successful peer-assessment exercise.
Mr. H first explained how to give thoughtful and respectful feedback by sharing examples of potential responses for both strong and weaker presentations. I feel that this explanation was valuable as my classmates and I had little prior experience articulating feedback. Mr. H then provided us with a handout that used the ‘two stars and a wish’ format to encourage students to say two pieces of positive feedback (stars) and one constructive point that could potentially improve the presenter's public speaking skills (wish). In addition to the stars and wish sheet, Mr. H also provided a list of words and phrases that could be directly copied or used as prompts for feedback points. This additional resource encouraged students to be “assessment literate” and to use appropriate assessment language (Drake, Reid and Kolohon, 2013, p.89). In this example, I thought peer-assessment was very well executed as students were equip with the resources and knowledge to complete the feedback appropriately. As demonstrated by Mr H, I believe that taking the time to teach assessment is essential in order for peer-assessment to be productive.
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Downing, Emer (2011, September 3).
Classroom resources. Web. 1 Nov 2015. Retrieved from http://acrucialweek.blogspot.ca/2011/09/reminder-assessment-linky-party.html
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As mentioned by Drake, Reid and Kolohon (2013), our feedback did not contribute to the grade that the presenter received, it was simply to allow for students to gain an understanding of the desired objectives, appreciate different degrees of quality, and consider how we could improve upon our personal presentation strategies. These points are supported by Harris, Brown and Harnett (2015) as they shared that students often use their own feedback to self-regulate their learning processes and improve their understanding of academic frameworks. In addition to these benefits, I also recall feeling very excited to be assessing presentations as I felt that I had a responsibility to help my peers. Moreover, I felt a sense of autonomy as my thoughts were being considered and valued by my classmates.
According
to Kablan (2014) students who actively participate in the classroom are more engaged and involved in their learning. This supports the use of peer-assessment
as this activity encourages the entire class to be involved and engaged. In addition, I believe that peer assessment encourages critical thinking skills. Linking this back to my grade 6 experience, students did not simply say whether they enjoyed or disliked the speech, but actively listened to their peers and provided thoughtful and constructive feedback. Furthermore, because students are being asked to provide both positive and constructive feedback, I
feel that peer-assessments should be anonymous as this would encourage
students to write freely and honestly. As mentioned by Harris, Brown and
Harnett (2015), when students are aware that their teacher/ peers will be reading their
comments, they may write what they believe their teacher/ peers are hoping to read
rather than their true reflections. Furthermore, Harris, Brown and Harnett
(2015) acknowledge that peer relationships and friendships may impact the
quality and accuracy of peer-assessments. In response, keeping assessments anonymous would prevent these issues and promote sincere feedback.
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Alex (2014, December, 2). Teaching essentials:
Assessment and target setting blog. Web. 2 Nov 2015. Retrieved from ttps://teachingessentials.wordpress.com/category/peer-assessment/
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Drake, Reid and Kolohon (2013) refer to student friendly language and the idea of students transforming ministry rubrics into words that are spoken and easily understood by students. I believe that sometimes peers understand concepts best when they are expressed by a fellow student. For example, rather than suggesting that a student speak with more 'expression', a peer might suggest that a presenter speak with a more 'fun' or 'happy' voice. Although the same feedback is being made, using student voices and vocabulary may be valued and appreciated by some students.
http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/peer-evaluation/
I came
across this video clip and I think it represents an
incredible example of how peers can also assess and help one another in a mathematical
context. Furthermore, this clip demonstrates Hwang, Hung and Chen's (2014) theory that social relationships within the classroom can be enhanced when students engage and learn from one another.
Peer to
peer assessment (2013, July 8). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG5iK7TMRuU
As
I was researching articles about peer-assessment, I came across this website
that clearly articulates some of the strengths and potential disadvantages of using peer-assessment. If you are interested in furthering your thoughts on peer-assessment, I recommend you click on the link below:
References
Alex (2014, December, 2). Teaching
essentials: Assessment and target setting blog. Web. 2 Nov 2015.
Retrieved from ttps://teachingessentials.wordpress.com/category/peer-assessment
Downing, Emer (2011, September 3).
Classroom resources. Web. 1 Nov 2015. Retrieved from http://acrucialweek.blogspot.ca/2011/09/reminder-assessment-linky-party.html
Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., &
Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and
Classroom Assessment: Engaging
the 21st Century Learner. Don
Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Harris, L. R., Brown, G. L., &
Harnett, J. A. (2015). Analysis of New Zealand Primary and Secondary Student
Peer- and Self-Assessment Comments: Applying Hattie and Timperley's Feedback
Model. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 22(2),
265-281
Hwang, G., Hung, C., & Chen, N.
(2014). Improving learning achievements, motivations and problem-solving skills
through a peer assessment-based game development approach. Educational
Technology Research and Development, (2), 129-145.
Kablan, Z. (2014). Comparison of
individual answer and group answer with and without structured peer assessment.
Research In Science & Technological Education, 32(3),
251-262. doi:10.1080/02635143.2014.931840.
Peer to peer assessment (2013, July
8). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG 5iK7TMRuU
Price, Lindsay (March, 2015). The Theatrefolk Blog: Peer evaluation. Retrieved from http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/peer-evaluation/
