The Use of Exemplars and Formative Feedback when Using Student Derived Marking Criteria in Peer and Self-assessment

This paper reports a study which implemented a method of student self and peer assessment involving student constructed marking criteria in the presence of exemplars. Pairs of first-year undergraduate biology students were asked to complete a poster assignment. The study was designed to allow the evaluation of (1) student self and peer marking and tutor marking for individual marking criteria following the use of exemplars; (2) the role of exemplars in providing a focus for formative feedback about subject standards. The present study shows that: (a) the use of exemplars can help students demonstrate greater understanding of both marking criteria and subject standards; (b) the use of exemplars can help students learning so that higher quality outcomes are produced; (c) the use of exemplars forms a focus for meaningful formative feedback; (d) students may make more objective judgements as a result of peer assessment compared to self-assessment.     

The Importance of Marking Criteria in the Use of Peer Assessment

This paper reports a study which implemented and evaluated a method of peer assessment, as a formative and summative assessment procedure. Pairs of first‐year undergraduate biology students were asked to complete a poster assignment on a specific aspect of nerve physiology. This paper contains details of a method which allows student peer and tutor marking of work against the individual marking criteria to be evaluated. The results show that a comparison between the tutor and the student peer mark may be misleading as a guide to the validity of peer assessment. The importance of considering the individual sections of the marking criteria is illustrated. It was found that when the individual criteria were analysed the number of students marking the same as the tutor ranged from 31% to 62%. It also became clear that specific areas of the marking criteria were prone to over and under‐marking. Analysis of student feedback forms showed that students not only liked carrying out peer assessment, but felt the benefits in terms of developing facets of their learning process and heightening their awareness of their work. These results are discussed in the light of other studies.     

The Effect of Scoring Criteria Specificity on Peer and Self-assessment

The value of peer and self-assessments is commonly diminished by scoring range restriction by the raters. This investigation studied the effect of different levels of scoring criteria specificity and written feedback requests on the distribution of scores, the correlation between peer and self-assessments and the quantity and nature of written feedback. Increasing the number of criteria decreased the mean scores and increased the standard deviations of the peer and self-assessments, providing a wider range of scores and increasing the sensitivity of the instrument. Correlation between peer and self-assessment was improved with more specific criteria, depending on the statistic used. However, analysis revealed that the more specific written feedback requests elicited more peer feedback. Educators should consider the effects of criteria specificity and written feedback solicitation on rater behaviour when designing these instruments.     

Criteria Referenced Marking of Written Assignments

The paper discusses the marking of written assignment and reports the results of the first step of an action research project conducted at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Lecturers marked students' written assignments first without an espoused criteria and the second time using a criteria referenced assessment form. The two sets of marks are compared and correlation and agreement between the scores are presented. The results show that the range of the marks is greater and the distribution of the marks is closer to the normal distribution when the assessment form was used. The difference between the two sets of marks was statistically significant (p < 0.05) though the correlation of the scores was good (r = 0.84). The paper discusses possible reasons for the results and also looks at individual students' marks.     

成人英语词汇教学中的自我评估和同辈评估

在成人词汇学习中引入自我评估和同辈评估,并经过系统的训练,学生不仅词汇量得到了极大地提升,而且自我评估能力及信心也大大增强了。     

To Feedback or Not to Feedback in Student Self-assessment

Extensive research (Black & Wiliam, 1998) notes the importance of feedback for learning. It is posited that even final-year undergraduate students will benefit from feedback and would thus value tutor feedback as an integral part of the student self-assessment process. At a British university, students were trained to carry out self-assessment of two types: firstly, self-assessment prior to peer and tutor feedback and secondly, self-assessment which integrated feedback as part of the process. Students overwhelmingly favoured the latter. In addition, analysis of student errors showed that, contrary to expectations, the majority of students' errors in translation were principally caused by their native language. Furthermore, discussion and questions on criteria revealed that students' expectations of their grades were closely related to the amount of time and effort which they had invested in their work. This was external to the actual standard of their work and their awareness of this.     

Detecting Gender Bias in Peer Marking of Students’ Group Process Work

Concerns relating to the reliability of teacher and student peer assessments are discussed, and some correlational analyses comparing student and teacher marks described. The benefits of the use of multiple ratings are elaborated. The distinction between gender differences and gender bias is drawn, and some studies which have reported gender bias are reviewed. The issue of ‘blind marking’ is addressed. A technique for detecting gender bias in cases where student raters have awarded marks to same and opposite sex peers is described, and illustrated by data from two case studies. Effect sizes were found to be very small, indicating an absence of gender bias in these two cases. Results are discussed in relation to task and other contextual variables. The authors conclude that the technique described can contribute to the good practice necessary to ensure the success of peer assessment in terms of pedagogical benefits and reliable and fair marking outcomes.     

朋辈辅导在学业困难学生帮扶中的案例

面对高校学业困难学生特征的多样性和复杂些局面,朋辈辅导是帮扶学业困难学生的有效措施之一。通过运用案例分析方法,结合朋辈辅导相关知识,选择合适的朋辈辅导学生,全方位开展帮扶工作,取得较好效果,并为以后推广朋辈辅导积累了经验。     

英国博士生朋辈协作:类型、措施及成效

作为英国高校博士生培养模式的新内容,朋辈协作受到越来越多高校的关注.英国高校推行朋辈协作的原因包括:传统的"孤独学者"模式不能应对英国博士生教育在学科、学位类型、招生规模及市场化发展等方面的变化;英国学界研究成果证实朋辈协作具有可行性;政府推行鼓励高校将"孤独学者"模式与博士生朋辈协作并置的政策等.目前,博士生朋辈协作形成了小组合作、学术协作、社交协作、社区协作等四种主要类型.英国高校采取创设研究生协作空间、制定导师指导政策、设立新的研究生管理岗位等措施,积极推行博士生朋辈协作.朋辈协作在缓解博士生的学习压力和其他心理问题、增强博士生学习热情、提高博士生保留率及学习质量等方面取得了良好效果.     

Examining Student Satisfaction with Group Projects and Peer Assessment

The efficiency and effectiveness of learning outcomes in groupwork and in peer assessment is well attested in the higher education literature. However, there is little evidence that any quantitative measures of student satisfaction have been undertaken with the group process and peer assessment. In this paper a peer assessment method is explained and a study detailed which was undertaken on a cohort of 261 students to measure student satisfaction of the assessment process. It was found that there were high levels of student satisfaction with groupwork and in the adopted assessment method. Further analysis revealed that there were no effects on the levels of satisfaction of students with the independent variables gender and age. Yet, there was a fairly significant difference in the levels of satisfaction of students having work experience favouring those without. Finally, there was found to be a substantial difference in the levels of satisfaction between Australian and international students with international students expressing higher values. It is recommended that this study be extended to other subjects and disciplines.     

高校学生管理法律纠纷产生的原因与防范

近几年在高校学生管理过程中,因法律纠纷而致学生对学校提起诉讼现象屡见不鲜,成为一个引人关注的问题。本文旨从诉讼现象中寻求高校学生管理法律纠纷发生的根源,提出处理高校与学生之间纠纷的方法和防范纠纷产生的措施。     

Creating a Culture of Student Success: The SEEK Scholars Peer Mentoring Program

The authors provide an overview of the peer mentor training program at City College of New York, CUNY.     

The Relationship between Different Criteria for Admission to Medical School and Student Success

The relevance of admission policy for educational outcome in medical schools is demonstrated by means of longitudinal data on the total population of several cohorts of students admitted to the German medical schools on the basis of a variety of criteria (n = 28,000 students). The correlations between the quantitative criteria for admission and performance on the First Medical Examination (which takes place after 2–3 years of study) were calculated. Secondly, the mean total scores on this examination that have been achieved at first attempt by groups of students admitted according to different selection criteria were compared. Thirdly, the rates of success on the medical examination at first attempt after two years of study were compared for the above‐mentioned groups of students. The most striking result is the large difference between the groups under comparison in terms of their success rates in the First Medical Examination. The highest pass rates (80%) are achieved by students selected on the basis of a combination of the average mark in the secondary school leaving certificate and the total score on the ‘Test for Medical Studies’, an aptitude test. Had the students been admitted at random, they would only have attained a pass rate of 48% (base rate). For those admitted on the basis of the result of an interview or on the basis of ‘waiting‐time’ (i.e. the number of semesters they had spent queuing) the pass rates are 49 and 45%. The results are interpreted in the light of different political and educational goals that are or can be envisaged when decisions on admission strategies are made.     

基于多层面Rasch模型的在线学生自评、师评和学生互评研究

在线学习评价是检测学习质量的重要方式,在评价中加入自评和互评会使评价结果更具合理性。研究针对在线学习评价中自评、师评和同伴评价中的问题,基于Moodle平台,应用多层面Rasch模型探究学生自评、师评和同伴评价的一致性。研究结果表明,师评最为严厉,然后依次是同伴评价和自评;评价量规的制定需要有科学有效的方法,需要让学生参与其中;在线环境中评价应增加即时反馈,从而使评价促进学习。多层面Rasch模型使在线学习评价更具合理性,对评价标准和一致性的检验有重要意义。     

A Method to Increase Student Interaction Using Student Groups and Peer Review over the Internet

A method of peer review for student groups is proposed. In this method, groups of students publish their assignments results over the Internet. A fellow student group reviews their work and publishes their findings (on the Internet). Finally, the two groups debate their points of view in front of the class. The debate and healthy competition among groups give the students a chance to learn how to give and receive criticism in a constructive way. This should increase the students' ability to interact and work in groups, an important skill for computer science professionals.