Peer assessment can help overcome feelings of isolation and distance, even in an fully-online, asynchronous setting.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Integrating assessment into learning by having not just the instructor, but the students' peers evaluate their work. This incorporates and fosters several key learning behaviors, such as self-assessment, collaboration, and peer honesty.

Peer Assessment

McConnell, D. The Experience of Collaborate Assessment in e-Learning (2002). Studies in Continuing Education, 24:, 73-92.

The Experience of Collaborate Assessment in e-Learning (2002).

Rather rely on an unchanging and potentially permanent assessment grade to motivate, peer evaluations can encourage a constant, growing and improving approach to work submission and learning.

Redefining Assessment

By allowing peers and other "equals" evaluate one's work, peer assessment tends to cause less stress and frustration, as well as reduce social loafing, due to the change in audience and expectations.

Reducing Stress and Improving Community Relations

Meeting the expectations of one's peers draws on both behavioral and emotional engagement, and can facilitate further discussion that is usually absent when being assessed by a lecturer.

"Motivated by the knowledge that there is an audience."

Creation of community and socialization

Peer evaluation works best when the conditions and expectations is primarily set (and discussed) by the peer group, preferably with less expectations placed by the lecturer. In addition, the trust and validity of peer remarks heavily depends on accountability, personal transparency, and individual social dynamics. However, this does not guarantee that peer evaluations themselves will be effective, only that the acceptance of such a method.

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