Peer Assessment among Secondary School Students: Introducing a Peer Feedback Tool in the Context of a Computer Supported Inquiry Learning Environment in Science

Abstract

In this study we introduced a peer feedback tool to secondary school students while aiming at investigating whether this tool leads to a feedback dialogue when using a computer supported inquiry learning environment in science. Moreover, we aimed at examining what type of feedback students ask for and receive and whether the students use the feedback they receive to improve their science related work. The participants of the study were 38 eighth graders, who used a web-based learning platform, namely the SCY-Lab platform along with its SCYFeedback tool, as well as one of its learning missions, titled the "Healthy pizza" mission. In doing so, students were assigned to create a healthy pizza while considering the nutritional value of the ingredients, diet-related health issues and the human digestive system, and daily exercise. The findings of the study revealed that whenever students requested for feedback from peers, there was a great possibility to receive one. Additionally, significant correlations were found between changes requested by peers concerning their learner products and changes proposed by peers for revisions. Overall, it appears that the beginnings of a fruitful feedback dialogue were there, but it seems that they were not enough to support a thorough dialogue throughout the intervention that could lead to having students revising their work. (Contains 4 figures, 6 tables and 3 footnotes.)