Enhancing Students' Argumentation Skills Through Peer Assessment

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Designing Effective Learning Environments II

Abstract

The present study explored the role of peer assessment in the learning of written argumentation. Twenty-two college freshmen participated in this qualitative study to provide feedback for their peer’s written arguments on popular psychology topics. Constant comparative analysis of multiple data sources revealed three main categories of feedback that students provided: cognition-based, metacognition-based, and affection-based. While receiving cognition-based feedback had the most impact on how students would later evaluate others’ work, those who had previously provided metacognition-based feedback were more likely to make observed progress in constructing arguments. This work adds to our understanding about the complex nature of peer assessment and proposes a potentially effective approach to facilitate students’ skills in written argumentation.

Author

• Shiyu Liu, The Pennsylvania State University - University Park