Peer Evaluation Research Articles

Storytelling in English Language Learning: Boosting Confidence and Discourse in EFL Contexts

This study investigates the role of storytelling as a teaching strategy for improving English language abilities among vocational students at SMKN 1 Samarinda. Recognizing a void in the literature on practical approaches for reducing speaking anxiety in EFL contexts, this study analyzes students’ perspectives of how storytelling impacts their confidence, discourse growth, and engagement. Data were acquired using a phenomenological technique via semi-structured interviews with three selected students, with validation provided by insights from their English teacher to increase the study’s credibility. The main findings show that storytelling boosts students’ confidence in speaking, promotes discourse expansion, and encourages active engagement in classroom activities. However, some challenges emerged, such as nervouness when presenting stories and concerns about peer evaluation. These elements occasionally prevented pupils from fully participating. The conclusion indicates that storytelling can be an effective method for creating a more participatory and encouraging language learning environment. Educators are advised to add narrative activities designed to reduce fear and improve confidence, allowing children to practice speaking abilities in a comfortable environment.

초등사회과 모의수업에서 교수자 평가와 동료평가 비교: 지리영역을 중심으로

Objectives In this study, we analyzed data from instructors and peer evaluators who assessed pre-service teach ers' teaching demonstrations to identify the characteristics of peer evaluation and explore ways to improve it. Methods A qualitative analysis was conducted on teaching demonstrations carried out during Korean Geography class at ‘G’ National University of Education in Chungnam province. The analysis utilized peer evaluation reports written by pre-service teachers(third-year students), lesson plans, self-reflection journals, and an interview with the instructor. Results The pre-service teachers emphasized students' levels and competencies and relied on general peda gogical knowledge to evaluate the teaching demonstrations, while the instructor primarily evaluated how well the concepts and characteristics of geography were appropriately incorporated into the lessons. Conclusions Therefore, we proposed peer evaluation guidelines based on elementary school students' levels of interest and curiosity in everyday life and current geographical issues, using these as activity tasks and encourag ing the experience of geographical thinking by participating in the process of constructing knowledge through geographical inquiry.

Barriers to and Facilitators of Implementing Team-Based Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Simulation Study: Exploratory Analysis.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a critical tool in the care of severe cardiorespiratory dysfunction. Simulation training for ECMO has become standard practice. Therefore, Keck Medicine of the University of California (USC) holds simulation-training sessions to reinforce and improve providers knowledge. This study aimed to understand the impact of simulation training approaches on interprofessional collaboration. We believed simulation-based ECMO training would improve interprofessional collaboration through increased communication and enhance teamwork. This was a single-center, mixed methods study of the Cardiac and Vascular Institute Intensive Care Unit at Keck Medicine of USC conducted from September 2021 to April 2023. Simulation training was offered for 1 hour monthly to the clinical team focused on the collaboration and decision-making needed to evaluate the initiation of ECMO therapy. Electronic surveys were distributed before, after, and 3 months post training. The survey evaluated teamwork and the effectiveness of training, and focus groups were held to understand social environment factors. Additionally, trainee and peer evaluation focus groups were held to understand socioenvironmental factors. In total, 37 trainees attended the training simulation from August 2021 to August 2022. Using 27 records for exploratory factor analysis, the standardized Cronbach α was 0.717. The survey results descriptively demonstrated a positive shift in teamwork ability. Qualitative themes identified improved confidence and decision-making. The study design was flawed, indicating improvement opportunities for future research on simulation training in the clinical setting. The paper outlines what to avoid when designing and implementing studies that assess an educational intervention in a complex clinical setting. The hypothesis deserves further exploration and is supported by the results of this study.

Rubric for peer evaluation of oral presentations: Use and perceptions among experienced and non-experienced students.

A properly designed rubric for oral presentations should be useful both to assess students' performance and to help them prepare for the task. However, its use and perceptions might be influenced by scholars' previous familiarization with rubrics during pre-university courses. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the previous experience of students in the use of rubrics can influence their assessment of oral presentations and to compare their ratings with those assigned by educators. Eighty-six first-year undergraduate dentistry students were randomly distributed in teams to prepare oral presentations. A newly designed assessment rubric was presented to the students prior to the assignment. Six weeks later the students performed the presentations and were anonymously assessed with the rubric by their peers and seven educators (EDU). Students' perceptions towards the rubric as a learning and assessment tool were registered with an anonymous survey, which also recorded if they were familiar with the use of rubrics (experienced students, ES) or not (not-experienced students, NES). Assigned scores by NES, ES, and EDU were compared. Sixty-seven students completed the survey. No differences were found in the scores assigned among experienced (41) and non-experienced students (26). Educators assigned significantly lower scores than students. ES and NES considered the rubric a complete easy to use and useful tool that helped them feel confident during assessment and performance. Previous experience does not influence students' use and perceptions of the newly developed rubric, however, ratings assigned by students are not comparable to those of EDU.

Perceptual Alignment: Investigating EFL Teachers' Perspectives on Students' Writing Difficulties

The study investigates the alignment between EFL teachers' perceptions of students' writing difficulties and the actual performance of students in vocabulary, grammar, organization, and mechanics. Using semi-structured interviews with five certified EFL teachers and written tests from 28 junior high school students, the research employs thematic and content analysis. Results show strong alignment in vocabulary and grammar, highlighting issues such as limited vocabulary range and frequent grammatical errors. However, significant misalignment is found in organization and mechanics, with teachers overestimating students' skills in structuring essays and using punctuation. The findings underscore the pressing need to address these gaps, as the misalignment between teacher perceptions and student performance hinders effective instruction and student progress in writing proficiency. Bridging this gap is crucial for fostering holistic EFL writing skills. Suggestions include structured feedback rubrics, peer evaluations, and professional development workshops to enhance teaching practices. This study contributes to improving EFL instruction by identifying gaps in teacher-student alignment and proposing targeted interventions for better writing proficiency.

Response to: “Rethinking peer evaluation in team-based learning”

Response to: “Rethinking peer evaluation in team-based learning”

Team-Based Learning in a Senior-Level Forensic Chemistry Course: Team Gains, Contribution to Individual Achievement, and Students’ Feelings

Despite intensive practices and promising reports on Team-Based Learning (TBL), three issues remain questionable: its contribution to overall academic performance, the team’s gain relative to individual members’ scores, and how students of different achievement levels perceive their academic gains. This mixed-methods research examines team gains, individual achievement on final examinations, and students’ feelings using data from individual readiness assurance tests (iRATs), team readiness assurance tests (tRATs), peer evaluations, class attendance, GPA, final examinations, interviews, and student perceptions of instruction. Quantitative data were analyzed using basic statistics and multiple regressions, while qualitative data were examined through inductive thematic analysis. Results indicated that all teams outperformed their highest-scoring members, suggesting higher achievers still benefited from TBL. Additionally, iRATs and class attendance positively impacted final examination performance, whereas tRATs had a negative impact. Peer evaluations and GPA did not significantly affect final examination performance. The thematic analysis revealed similar perceptions of gains among students, despite some challenges and frustrations.

Challenges in the integration of substantive processes in universities with accredited programs: a perspective from peer reviewers

Higher education must assume its role in fulfilling the three mission axes: teaching, research, and extension. However, it is known that it faces multiple challenges that prevent it from achieving its goals effectively. The study's objective was to analyze the challenges of integrating teaching, research, and extension in universities with accredited programs from the perspective of the peer evaluators of the National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education (ANEAES), year 2024. To achieve the purpose of the study, qualitative research with a descriptive exploratory scope was used. The semi-structured interview was applied to 24 peer evaluators that make up the National Registry of Peer Evaluators. The findings show the existence of multiple challenges to achieving the mission of higher education institutions; however, proposals are outlined that could help achieve this. It is concluded that higher education institutions must assume their role and work in a coordinated manner with educational actors to achieve the integration of teaching, research, and extension, which will result in the quality of the training process.

Patterns of object play behaviour and its functional implications in free-flying common ravens

Object play has been proposed to provide individuals with information about their environment, facilitating foraging skills and tool use. In species where object play co-occurs with locomotor or social play, it may have additional functional implications, such as facilitating the evaluation of peers or forming social bonds. For instance, ravens judge others’ competitiveness via play caching and engage in social play by exchanging objects. However, most raven studies were conducted on a restricted number of individuals and under controlled captive settings. To validate these findings and to gauge the functional scope of object play under field conditions, we investigated the patterns and characteristics of object play in individually marked free-flying ravens in the Austrian Alps. Using two large data sets, we show a decrease in object play with age and a preference for playing longer with novel objects, supporting findings from captivity. We also find adults occasionally playing with objects and no difference in the duration of social or non-social object play bouts across age classes. Taken together, our findings are in line with the assumption that raven object play likely has more than one function and serves to gain information about the individual’s physical and social environment.

Comparison of Medical Students' Peer Evaluation and Teaching Staff Evaluation of Community Health Projects: Perceptions and Experiences.

Public health education increasingly emphasizes experiential learning and community engagement. Peer review complements traditional staff evaluation, enhancing learning outcomes and refining teaching strategies. This study aims to investigate the perceptions and experiences of medical students with peer evaluation of community health projects. Staff evaluation for the same projects will be used for comparison. A cross-sectional survey study involving medical students from the epidemiology and community health course at the College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU). Students assessed their peers' community health projects using a self-administered questionnaire. Staff evaluations were also compared. Data was analyzed by IBM SPSS 29. The study included 187 participants, primarily medical students (98.3%), who evaluated 20 community health projects. Three teaching staff members also rated the same projects. Medical students ranked effort expended (4.34), topic importance (4.26), and apparent participation (4.26) in descending order of value. The Staff evaluated the topic's relevance as the highest (4.43), but they rated the tools as lower (3.9). Medical students ranked tools sufficiency significantly higher, with a mean of (4.16 vs 3.90) than Staff (p <0.05). Both groups evaluated the project's level of innovation and the clarity of its target audience in a comparable manner. The analysis of the Full Project Level indicated no substantial disparity between medical students and Staff, as evidenced by the p-value of 0.920. This study validates that peer evaluation of student projects is equally practical as evaluation conducted by faculty members. Consequently, allocating resources toward enhancing peer students' learning and evaluation capabilities is justifiable.

Translation and psychometric validation of the Peer Evaluation Scale for Team-based Learning (PES-TBL) for Chinese medical students.

To translate, culturally adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Peer Evaluation Scale for Team-based Learning (PES-TBL) for students in nursing and medical disciplines. Effective peer evaluation tools provide a more scientific and objective assessment of collaborative learning. However, there is a lack of peer evaluation instruments designed for group learning in China. A cross-sectional, methodological study. The PES-TBL was first translated and adapted into Chinese. A panel of 10 experts in nursing and clinical medicine education evaluated the content validity. The psychometric properties of scale were assessed in a sample of undergraduate and postgraduate students.The reliability of the PES-TBL was assessed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to explore and verify its dimensionality and construct validity. A total of 564 students were included, the overall content validity index was 0.975. The exploratory factor analysis confirmed a three-factor structure, including responsibility, initiative and collaboration. The reliability of the scale was adequate, with Cronbach's α (0.983), Spearman-Brown split-half index (0.916) and re-test reliability index (0.955). Confirmatory factor analysis showed a three-factor structure explaining 84.336 % of the total variance. All model fit indices fell within acceptable ranges, indicating good structural validity for the Chinese version of the PES-TBL. The Chinese version of PES-TBL proved to be a reliable tool to test group learning performance in both nursing and medical students and it could be a broadly useful instrument in nursing and medical education.

Perceptions of leadership effectiveness in global virtual teams: Gender, personality, and self- versus peer evaluations

Perceptions of leadership effectiveness in global virtual teams: Gender, personality, and self- versus peer evaluations

Effect of Formative Assessment on Student’s Achievement in Secondary Grades in Private Schools of Pakistan

The study aimed to investigate the effect of formative assessment on student achievement in secondary grades in private schools in Pakistan. The action research dissects the effect of formative assessment on student’s achievement in secondary classrooms. This study attempts to investigate which strategies in formative assessment would result in improved student achievement and if they do influence learners as claimed by the literature. Formative strategies such as exit tickets, class discussions, pair work, group presentations, and peer evaluation are extensively discussed. The research approach chosen was a qualitative study. The design chosen was action research because in this research an educational problem was being addressed. The sampling technique was purposive sampling. The characteristics of the individuals would be students of secondary grades between the age of 12-15. Both genders are included. The individuals would be students studying in a private school. The subjects chosen were English, Social Studies, and Islamiyat. This study found that several formative assessment strategies such as discussions, group presentations, and peer evaluation increased student engagement, and willingness and displayed their understanding of the content which in turn reflected their ability to perform well when evaluated. The study was qualitative, yet in the future, researchers could go a step ahead and conduct a quantitative study. Likewise, it was conducted in one metropolitan city of Karachi therefore, its results could not apply in the rural areas, future researcher needs to include the rural population for generalizability of the result.

THE CONTINUOUS LEARNING NEEDS OF PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKERS WHO CARE FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA IN LONG-TERM CARE

Abstract Personal support workers (PSWs) in long-term care (LTC) homes comprise over half of the workforce responsible for providing care to people living with dementia. Compared to other healthcare professionals, PSWs receive the least education, which fails to equip them with the necessary competencies for quality dementia care. To provide optimal care to people living with dementia, PSWs need to be offered opportunities for continuous education that addresses their specific learning needs. Therefore, this study identified and examined the dementia-specific learning needs of PSWs in LTC. Interpretive description guided the secondary qualitative analysis of 22 focus groups with ‘mid-career’ PSWs (n = 39) in LTC. The analysis identified specific learning needs along with ways in which those needs are best met. The learning needs include: 1) addressing responsive behaviours, 2) person-centered communication and attitudes, 3) delirium, and 4) dementia as a chronic condition. Learning needs were most commonly attributed to limited preparation during formal PSW education and a lack of continuous training opportunities throughout their career. Learning needs are best met through experiential methods involving peer learning, feedback, and evaluation within a supportive environment. For the learning needs to mediate practical outcomes, there needs to be an openness to dementia education and a good teamwork culture within LTC. The data generated from this research study will be essential to developing future continuing education for PSWs, contributing to knowledge about dementia care within LTC settings, and improving the quality of care provided to people living with dementia.

2022 개정 교육과정 초등학교 학교자율시간에 활용할 실과교육프로그램 개발: 정원에서 공부해요

This study aims to develop a practical garden education program, &lt;Learning in the Garden&gt;, for use during School-designed Autonomous Hours activities in elementary schools, aligned with the 2022 revised curriculum. For program design, the study analyzed the meaning and educational value of garden education and reviewed various domestic and foreign garden education programs. The Learning in the Garden program consists of 6 topics, namely tools, seeds, fruits, vegetables, gardens and the environment, and horticultural therapy. Each topic includes systematic content elements, including knowledge, understanding, process and function, and values and attitudes. The preparation stage sets its necessity and direction, followed by a detailed design of learning goals and content systems, achievement standards, teaching and learning methods, and evaluation methods in the development stage. The program’s teaching and learning method focused on active student participation through experience-oriented learning, cooperative learning, and project-based learning. The evaluation consisted of formative, general, self, peer, and portfolio evaluation, focusing on supporting students’ continuous learning and growth. The &lt;Learning in the Garden&gt; program will allow students to connect with nature and contribute to cultivating ecological sensitivity and a sense of community.

THE CONTINUOUS LEARNING NEEDS OF PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKERS WHO CARE FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA IN LONG-TERM CARE

Abstract Personal support workers (PSWs) in long-term care (LTC) homes comprise over half of the workforce responsible for providing care to people living with dementia. Compared to other healthcare professionals, PSWs receive the least education, which fails to equip them with the necessary competencies for quality dementia care. To provide optimal care to people living with dementia, PSWs need to be offered opportunities for continuous education that addresses their specific learning needs. Therefore, this study identified and examined the dementia-specific learning needs of PSWs in LTC. Interpretive description guided the secondary qualitative analysis of 22 focus groups with ‘mid-career’ PSWs (n = 39) in LTC. The analysis identified specific learning needs along with ways in which those needs are best met. The learning needs include: 1) addressing responsive behaviours, 2) person-centered communication and attitudes, 3) delirium, and 4) dementia as a chronic condition. Learning needs were most commonly attributed to limited preparation during formal PSW education and a lack of continuous training opportunities throughout their career. Learning needs are best met through experiential methods involving peer learning, feedback, and evaluation within a supportive environment. For the learning needs to mediate practical outcomes, there needs to be an openness to dementia education and a good teamwork culture within LTC. The data generated from this research study will be essential to developing future continuing education for PSWs, contributing to knowledge about dementia care within LTC settings, and improving the quality of care provided to people living with dementia.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGLISH TEACHERS’ AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

&lt;p&gt;A descriptive study was performed at SMP Negeri 1 Kotapinang to measure the perceived ability of English instructors regarding authentic assessment. The research process employed surveys, interview guides, and observation. Both interactive and descriptive models were employed to analyse the data. The assessed expertise of the English teachers at SMP Negeri 1 Kotapinang regarding the implementation of authentic assessment was commendable. Educators utilised portfolios, projects, peer evaluations, performance assessments, and observations as authentic assessment methods. The perceived comprehension and implementation of project evaluation and peer/self-assessment reveal disparities. Authentic assessment is executed differently in online education than in traditional classroom instruction. The educators implemented specific modifications, including assessing the students' attitudes in the classroom. The observation of attitudes in online learning was adjusted based on students' engagement in the course and their assignment responsibilities.&lt;/p&gt;

Automating Peer Evaluation and Attendance in Chemical Engineering Education: A Google-Based Approach

Teaching and learning processes not only involve activities, but class preparation management and pedagogies also play an important role in ensuring quality education is delivered properly. With high-performance indicators to be achieved by academicians, teaching and learning management must be automated to reduce the time spent on these processes. Thus, the one-stop center on content management, automated peer evaluation form (APEF), and attendance management system (AMS) were developed to assist educators in managing academic duties. To date, three chemical engineering courses have been fully developed under the one-stop center which consists of lecture notes, videos, tutorials, past year questions, and any scaffolding activities. APEF and AMS were developed in a Google environment combining Google Site, Sheet, Form, Docs, and Scripts. The APEF was designed to reduce errors in data management and data population of the peer evaluation marks. Meanwhile, the motivation for AMS is to ensure paperless and seamless attendance monitoring can be conducted on real time basis. The output is a fully automated peer evaluation form and attendance monitoring system that can monitor student peer evaluation submission in real-time, providing automated data population and calculation, tracking student attendance, and serving as an evidence collection tool. These tools have had a great impact on the instructors as well as the students in managing their classroom as shown in the 100% agreement in the user satisfaction survey. Although the implementation of these tools as a department practice is not yet in place, the potential of mass adoption is profound due to its simplicity, applicability, and scalability.

Validation of a peer observation and evaluation tool for online teaching in the U.S.

AbstractThe benefits of peer evaluation of teaching effectiveness and quality in higher education are well documented. While instruments exist for the review and evaluation of entire online courses, there is no standardized single-lesson, peer evaluation instrument available for online instruction. This pilot study focused on the validation of a peer observation and evaluation tool for use with single lessons in both synchronous and asynchronous online courses in an inter-professional school of health professions. The researchers modified a psychometrically validated instrument developed for in-person peer observation by adding items from a renowned online course rubric to create a peer observation tool, entitled the Peer Observation and Evaluation Tool-Online (POET-O). The resulting instrument demonstrated adequate construct validity and reliability by using the many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM) technique. MFRM results also indicated potential places to revise and improve the instrument. Recommendations for implementing the peer evaluation process of teaching are provided.

Impacts of Intentional Team Formation on Learning in Online and Face-to-Face Environments

This study assesses the impact of intentional team formation and class format on student learning outcomes in a team-based learning agricultural statistics class. From 2019 to 2021, students (n = 124) were sorted into teams based on Clifton’s strengths and demographic attributes. So-called “diverse” teams have all strengths represented in addition to having at least one historically under-represented minority (URM) and at least two genders; “not-diverse” teams were missing representation from each strength, URM, and/or gender. The class was taught using team-based learning with face-to-face and online team learning sections. In these teaching paradigms, the lectures were viewed asynchronously, whereas team-learning was facilitated in a face-to-face setting or in an online zoom meeting. A difference-in-difference approach elicited differences in peer evaluation, team satisfaction, and grades based on the team formation treatment, the class format treatment, and the simultaneous team formation and class format treatments. The results of the study suggest that intentional team formation has little impact on most metrics; however, diverse teams do have lower team-learning scores and perceived team performance. The class-format has a large impact on almost all metrics implying that instructors should take more time considering class format rather than group composition in team-based learning.