Online Conference on
Learning and Teaching with Technology
in Art Design and Communication
DeL Online 2009: Presenters
Paul Summers
Anonymous Online Peer Critique in the Teaching of Undergraduate Design and Graphics
Abstract
Problem
Peer critique is commonly used in the teaching of art & design subjects and can be constructively utilised to formatively or summatively assess a learners progress. (Barrett 2000). Having one’s works critiqued can provide informative and useful feedback but, perhaps more important is the development of critical thinking that occurs when one conducts an analysis the work of ones peers.
Although there are many benefits of the traditional critiquing process, there are naturally limitations. One of theses is the aversion of more introverted students to contributing to open verbal communication in large groups. Another is the unwillingness of students to be openly critical of their peers for fear of retribution in some form.
This paper discusses the creation and implementation of a system of anonymous online peer review as a mechanism for tapping into the many benefits of peer critique whilst addressing some of these limitations.
Methodology
Before development of the tool began, a study into the use of e-learning tools at the author’s institution was conducted. This study assessed the usage of e-learning tools when compared to other faculties, in order to assess whether the students were benefiting from in terms of flexibility of location and time that online learning can bring. As a need was identified, an opportunity to support students learning using online technologies was sought.
Online peer critique was selected as it mirrors processes already familiar to both the staff and learners whilst at the same time providing clear potential for benefits over and above this. These include the ability to anonymise participants and the production of a persistent artefact which can be referred to later on by the student for development purposes or by an assessor as part of a formative or summative assessment.
This paper discusses the consideration of potential technologies and the reasoning for the selection of a bespoke option as well as the design decisions that made. The feedback from the learners on the two undergraduate module that have engaged with the system is discussed as well as the challenges and solutions that were encountered.
Conclusions
The system has been rather successful and is now due to enter its second year of use. The feedback gathered suggests that both students and lecturers appreciate the tool and feel that it has been beneficial in supporting the students’ development.
Peerview has attracted a degree of interest from other lecturing staff and will likely be used across several more modules over the coming academic year. There is good potential for the tool to enrich students learning through inter-institutional and inter-disciplinary reviews and so opportunities in this area will be explored.
References
Barrett, T. (2000). Studio Critiques of Student Art: As They Are, as They Could be With Mentoring. Theory Into Practice, 39 (1), 28-35.
Keywords
peer critique, peer review, online learning environments
Theme
Collaboration and creativity
Presentation
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Biography
Since February 2008, Paul Summers has lectured in Digital Media at Birmingham City University. Previously he worked as a learning technologist at a Coventry University CETL, working with educational technologies and advising academic staff in there adoption of them. His previous titles include games developer and web developer.
Paul Summers
Lecturer Digital Media
Birmingham City University
School of Digital Media Technology
UK
Email: paul.summers@tic.ac.uk
