1. Peer Review through Blog Postings and Exam Reviews
Kevin Egan
Dept. of Economics

2. Peer Review Through Blog Postings
Before:
Students turned-in their “current event reviews” or “reports” to me
I graded, with too much time spent on grammar, and return to student
I attempt to summarize and incorporate what students have written into my next lecture
Now:
Students post their “current event reviews” or “reports” on their Blog in Blackboard
Each student must read at least two other blog postings and provide constructive comments (Grading Rubric provided)

3. Benefits of Peer Review Through Blog Postings
Students care more about what their peers think
Students writing is improved; grammar issues mostly disappear
Other students provide the feedback that I would have anyway
Some students who don’t speak in class enjoy and excel at writing Blog discussions
Expands the course into a new online more interactive dimension

4. Exam Review Exams are primarily an evaluation exercise
Exams are a wonderful opportunity to be a learning exercise
Students get up to 1/3 points back for explaining in writing:
why their answer was wrong
what the right answer is and why, showing all steps
Including multiple choice questions
1/3 Points back offers a good balance

5. Benefits of Exam Review
Time in-class focuses on most difficult questions after exam reviews
Many students say they are not good exam takers; here is their chance
Grade distribution can be the same with final grade better indicator of effort

6. Daily Writing Reviews Ungraded daily writing summary:
1) Questions you have from the material that day?
Usually 20 students, 20 different questions
I write short response and hand back the next day
If some common questions, I address those at the beginning of the next day
They tell me what to review, rather than my guessing
2) Three sentence summary of the course material
3) Explain an important graph in words
Bonus: I learn students names quickly

7. Conclusions Use in any class: Win-win for everyone
Peer Review through Blog Postings,
Exam Reviews, and
Daily Writing Reviews and other ideas from today
Win-win for everyone
Students are more engaged and learn more
Reflection enhances learning
Professor may receive better student evaluations because students like all of these approaches