Abstract
While traditional teaching methods and incorporating cutting-edge technology into the classroom can facilitate efficient transfer of information, it may not necessarily motivate students to participate in learning. While no single rule of thumb can solve this problem, creating opportunities for student involvement may offer a palatable and practical solution. With the intent of creating an alternative classroom environment, one which encourages positive student engagement, peer assessment was explored in conjunction with classroom teaching. In the present context, peer assessment refers to assessment of students’ work by other students of equal status. Peer assessment was conducted for an undergraduate elective course titled “Food Technology and Engineering.” As part of the activity, students working in small groups (3-4 students) were required to design rubrics for assessment, assign marks to their peers for the group presentation and provide constructive feedback. Advocates of peer assessment, while associating it with a number of benefits, have reported sceptical perceptions of students about the activity as well. Understanding the challenges and investigating ways to find possible solutions is crucial to the success of the activity. This presentation discusses the various ways that were adopted to tackle these challenges. At the end of the activity, student survey was conducted to evaluate students’ perceptions. Student survey showed that peer assessment was well received by many students and encouraged them to participate. The survey results also showed that besides providing opportunities to the students to use their voice and knowledge to contribute, peer assessment enabled them to develop skills that were transferable to the workplace and to other aspects of life.
Presenters
Satyen GautamSenior Lecturer, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, South West, Singapore Sachin Jangam
Kai Chee Loh
National University of Singapore
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
"Student Engagement", " Peer Assessment"
