A Web-Based Tool for Assessing Online Peer-Reviews

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2009

Authors

Elisabete Cunha (Author) Other; Alvaro Figueira (Author) FCUP

Conference proceedings International

Title: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 8TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON E-LEARNING

Pages: 132-139

8th European Conference on e-Learning

Bari, ITALY, OCT 29-30, 2009

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Computer and information sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-RSD

Abstract (EN): Self and peer-evaluation allow the development of learning environments which provide students with the means to consider upon their own (and of their colleagues) current learning skills. However, if each student in a class performs an evaluation of two of his(her) peers, which in turn will have to be assessed by the teacher/educator, then the additional work will certainly double. Hence, when considering large classes, this methodology is clearly infeasible due to the overload of work. In this article we describe a solution to provide educators with better conditions to implement self and peer-evaluation by using a web-based tool that can be coupled with general open-source learning management systems. Our tool, based on the Moodle Workshop module, features an automatic online distribution of the students' submitted assignments for peer-evaluation, and an automatic assessment of the evaluations. The criteria for evaluating student submissions can be set to meet the teacher/educator objectives as it comprises a several templates ranging from open questions graded over a topic-match table, to multiple choice questions, calculated questions, and even full text graded over sets of error-banded answer statements. The system, throughout comparison of every criteria item in the student's submitted assessment with the teacher's assessment, or with the considered best assessment by the system (depending on configuration), automatically computes a grade which reflects the quality of the student's assessment. It is also flexible enough to allow configuration of evaluation parameters as: number of criteria and topics to use as the evaluation table; weights assigned to criteria; scales used in each evaluation topic; degree of rigidness for assessment (from very lax to very strict), and the number of peers to evaluate. The configuration interface allows overlapping of activity phases (evaluation of examples from the teacher, own work submissions, peer-review, review assessment and display of results) - it is possible to have students reviewing their peers, even if not all the students in the class have already submitted their work. To present the final grades, including information from the peer-review and correspondent assessments, we created a dynamic page with sliding panes which follow a minimum information display principle: specific (student) information is accessible from the general (class) information pane with a single click. We also implemented a system of graphical 'alerts' to the teacher/evaluator for problematic situations in which manual intervention is recommended.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8