1. Peer Assessments Using iPeer Dr. Carolyn Awalt Vinayak Melarkod Instructional Support Services UTEP 10/19/2009

2. © The University of Texas at El Paso The Reason I do this: Students who are unsuccessful in assessments often seem to lack insight into the standard of their own performance, yet the ability to self- assess accurately is essential for the effective self-management of learning. Langendyk, V. (2006). Not knowing that they do not know: self-assessment accuracy of third-year medical students. Medical Education, 40 (2), 173- 179.

3. © The University of Texas at El Paso The Challenge How do we foster the ability to self-assess accurately?

4. © The University of Texas at El Paso One Solution Foster individual accountability through the use of peer and self assessment as Students complete specific learning tasks and activities Students use clear rubrics or other tools to measure their own and their peers work

5. © The University of Texas at El Paso 1. What are peer and self assessment ? Peer assessment students are involved in the assessment of the work of other students. Self assessment students are involved in and are responsible for assessing their own piece of work. It encourages students to become independent learners and can increase their motivation.

6. © The University of Texas at El Paso 2. Why do we use them? Peer assessment Develop the ability to work cooperatively to be critical of others’ work to receive critical appraisals of, and feedback on, their own work Provide students with some insight into the criteria to be used for grading a piece of work

7. © The University of Texas at El Paso 2. Why do we use them? Self assessment Help students develop the ability to examine and think critically about their learning Help students understand what criteria should be used in judging their work how to apply these objectively to their own work in order to facilitate their continuing learning

8. © The University of Texas at El Paso 3. What are the benefits? Students internalize the criteria for high- quality work Students who see clear models of work that meet the standards and understand why the work meets the standards will begin to make comparisons between their performance and the Exemplars presented. Students understand the process of getting to the standard

9. © The University of Texas at El Paso 3. What are the benefits? Teachers involve students in the monitoring process and shift some of the responsibility for documenting and justifying learning to the students

10. © The University of Texas at El Paso 4. When is it appropriate to use? Peer Assessment - students Receive feedback as formative assessment Learn from giving feedback to other students receiving peer feedback Self Assessment - encourages reflection and self criticism

11. © The University of Texas at El Paso 5. Challenges and possible solutions It’s your job – most professions do it Peer pressure on students not to mark down their colleagues - anonymous marking Lack of confidence in process - practice Misunderstanding the criteria - workshops

12. © The University of Texas at El Paso 6. How to get started Be explicit about the reasons for and benefits of using peer assessment Provide clear marking criteria, and possibly involve students in discussing or negotiating the criteria. Take it slowly and prepare students for the process Keep the system simple

13. © The University of Texas at El Paso Key Factors Give students a practice session Use rubrics or checklists Seek to create student trust in each other This happens, when groups Are formed early in the semester Stay together throughout the term Become more comfortable with each other which leads to better peer feedback Some research says it takes six weeks

14. © The University of Texas at El Paso iPeer – What is it? iPeer allows instructors to easily develop and deliver peer evaluations to their students. Instructors can compile evaluation results by student or group Designed by Faculty of Applied Science at University of British Columbia under GNU/GPL License iPeer @ UTEP http://mdl-web.iss.utep.edu/ipeer/

15. © The University of Texas at El Paso iPeer – Get Started Roles Student Instructor Administrator [ISS]

16. © The University of Texas at El Paso iPeer – Instructor Add a course Add students to the course and divide them in groups Create a simple or rubric evaluation Set up an evaluation assignment Wait for students to submit their results View and generate reports of results

17. © The University of Texas at El Paso iPeer - Students Submit available evaluation assignments Edit their profiles

18. © The University of Texas at El Paso iPeer – The positive Peer and Self assessment can be an assessment of group effort OR projects and papers Student Self enrollment Work is time stamped Student Help Email to iss@utep.eduiss@utep.edu Edit their username/password any time For faculty – Courses and Evaluations do not have to be created semester

19. © The University of Texas at El Paso iPeer – The negative Faculty need to reassign evaluation to a group if a student is added/deleted within the evaluation time During Self-Enrollment, students might enter wrong email address

20. © The University of Texas at El Paso iPeer @ UTEP Fully deployed in Fall 2008 Faculty currently using iPeer Dr. Carolyn Awalt [Teacher Education] Dr. Harry Meeuwsen [Kinesiology] Dr. Martha Veale [Teacher Education] Instructional Support Services [Digital Academies]

21. © The University of Texas at El Paso Questions???