I-Corps L: A Tool for Peer Assessment Grading and Evaluation - PeerAGE

University Of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

Through the NSF Innovation Corps for Learning Program (I-Corps L) this project will develop ways to increase the scale and impact of an innovative method to facilitate peer assessment of student engineering design projects. Design based learning (DBL) classes are being increasingly utilized to engage and nurture student inquiry and learning across the educational landscape. DBL is primarily supported by formative assessment methodologies, but increasing resource constraints and class size make it difficult for a single teacher/facilitator to provide all students with equal attention and feedback. One potential method to increase the feedback students receive is to use peer assessment. Peer assessment methodology can not only supplement teacher feedback, but also engage students in the assessment process and subsequently, enhance their own learning. Additionally, peer assessment can help lower the cost of managing larger design classes by reducing the need for multiple facilitators/tutors and allow virtual participation of experts and other feedback providers. This I-Corp team is working on developing a web based peer assessment tool that works seamlessly with large classes and a variety of DBL assignments. The project will utilize a web app that enables collaborative learning through students' participation in the assessment process, and provides a natural way of participating in a DBL class. Design artifacts could include multimedia files, documents and 3D CAD models, which can all be easily uploaded into the web app. The app presents these design artifacts to the reviewers in a clear interactive fashion, enabling them to provide feedback in an organic way using methods such as annotating the artifacts directly and providing written/audio feedback. Feedback can be structured by using rubrics, prompts, and/or ratings. Furthermore, the whole review process is anonymized and reviewers are randomly chosen (with randomization options selected by the facilitator) to prevent any bias or collusion. The goal of this project is to enable more faculty to use an easy and simple peer assessment implementation in the classroom that works with a variety of Internet connected devices and allows students to clearly express themselves and learn from others. Potential applications move beyond peer work facilitation, providing instructors with additional data points to assess student learning and engagement in class, moreover, this tool can be utilized outside the K-12/Higher Ed fields and benefit large virtual design competitions and other virtual design reviews.