A key factor in developing this intervention was the recognition of a gap in student engagement and constructive collaboration. I wanted to develop something I started last academic year, encouraging peer-to-peer interaction in an academic setting. The idea emerged from observing that students often felt disconnected from the feedback process when it was a one-way street from instructor to student. It became increasingly clear that peer evaluations could serve as a powerful tool for learning if executed in a supportive, structured environment.
My intervention is an online space for receiving and giving peer feedback, where anonymity could reduce bias and apprehension, enabling students to express honest and constructive feedback. I’m thinking of a two-week window to allow ample time for reflection and response. Following up with a questionnaire to collect data on the effectiveness of the intervention and to understand the students’ experiences and perceptions of the process.
With this primary idea of this small-scale intervention, I reached my research question: “How might we improve student participation in peer feedback?”. I believe this was instinctive out of a series of reflective inquiries into the nature of collaborative learning and especially of student autonomy, where, according to Deci and Ryan (2000) students could feel more motivated to participate.
I asked myself, what elements are essential for meaningful engagement? How can we move beyond mere participation to ensure that students are actively contributing to and benefiting from the peer feedback process?
This intervention is a step towards reimagining the educational landscape where students learn from each other as much as they do from their instructors. But also, it’s an endeavour to make the learning process more democratic, inclusive, and effective following UAL’s principles. In a sense, this intervention is fundamentally about levelling the educational playing field. By anonymising the feedback process, we are mitigating social biases that often infiltrate classroom dynamics. The intention is to create an inclusive platform where every voice has equal weight and value, and where participation is not influenced by one’s background, identity, or social standing. This approach to peer feedback aspires to champion inclusivity and ensure that all students, regardless of their individual circumstances, have equitable access to contribute to and benefit from the collective wisdom of their peers.
Deci, E.L. and Ryan, R.M. (2000) ‘The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior’, Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), pp. 227–268. doi:10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01.