Multiple Peer-Assessments

Having the same piece of work peer-assessed a number of times can be of major benefit to learners.

There are two main reasons for this.

First, it results in them receiving a range of feedback which, while perhaps overlapping at times, is likely to contain a number of different perspectives on their work.

Second, it gives them an opportunity to analyse the different ways in which the work they have created might be received by others.

Seeing as all the communication we do in the classroom, in whatever form, is by necessity intended to convey meaning to others, the opportunity to assess whether you have successfully communicated what you intended is useful.

Learners also benefit from the process of completing a series of peer-assessments.

Again, there are two main reasons for this.

First, repetition leads to mastery.

Of course, your learners will be close to mastering peer-assessment anyway because of how it is embedded in your lessons.

Nonetheless, the quick succession of repeated peer-assessments that this activity involves will help accelerate (or reinforce) their skills.

Second, analysing and evaluating a number of pieces of work, rather than just one, gives learners the chance to expand their knowledge of what constitutes work (of varying standards) in the particular topic being studied.

They will therefore have a wider range of reference points against which to judge their own work.

Here are three ways you can structure multiple peer-assessments:

• Multiple Peer-Assessments: Example 1

Learners are put into groups of four.

Each learner peer-assesses the work produced by the other members of their group.

Work is passed round in a clockwise direction.

Strengths and targets are written in learners’ books or on a pro-forma.

When the peer-assessments have been completed, comments are returned to the author of the work and a discussion ensues.

• Multiple Peer-Assessments: Example 2

Learners are given a pro-forma that has space for nine strengths and three targets or improvements.

Everyone stands up and walks around the room.

Learners must find three people to peer-assess their work and to fill in their pro-forma.

This approach often takes longer than you think, so plan with that in mind.

It does tend to create a great atmosphere in the class, with learners busily focussed on assessing each other’s work and writing up their thoughts.

You can slim it down by having a pro-forma that requires two peer-assessments rather than three (so, space for six strengths and two targets).

• Multiple Peer-Assessments: Example 3

Half the class remain sat down and the other half stand up.

Those who are sat down must display their work on their desks in front of them.

Those who are stood up must walk around and peer-assess the work of three people who are sat down.

Assessments should include discussion and questioning between the learner who is sat down and the learner who is stood up.

When everyone is finished, the two halves of the class swap over and the activity is repeated.

This way, everyone gets a chance to have their work peer-assessed multiple times, and to conduct multiple peer-assessments themselves.

Random Peer-Assessment

Here are five ways you can mix up your peer-assessments by introducing an element of randomness:

• Cut up a selection of success criteria so that each one is on a separate strip of paper. Put these in a hat and pull one out (or ask a learner to pull one out) at random. Share this with the class. Ask learners to get into pairs and to conduct a peer-assessment focussing exclusively on what was picked.
• Write a range of assessment objectives on bits of card and shuffle these. Invite a learner to select one at random. Again, this then forms the basis of the subsequent peer-assessment.
• Write six aspects of learning on the board and number these. Roll a die (or ask a learner to do it) as a way to select which particular aspect learners will base their peer-assessments around.
• Create a PowerPoint presentation. Write a different success criterion on each slide. Change the transition speed to ‘0’ and loop the slideshow. Press play and then ask a learner to shout ‘Stop!’ At that point, press escape to stop the slideshow. Learners focus their peer-assessments on the success criterion that is on display.
• Secretly assign a range of assessment objectives to letters of the alphabet. Use a continuous run of letters, such as A-H. Ask a learner to select a letter from the range. Whatever assessment objective has been assigned to that letter is the one the class will focus in their peer assessments.

Using a random approach like this focuses minds and creates an element of surprise.

On top of this, we can identify three further benefits.

First, the whole class focuses on the same thing in their peer-assessments. This means subsequent discussions are informed by a shared knowledge and understanding, leading to talk that is richer and more purposeful.

Second, learners are compelled to focus on aspects of their peers’ work that they might previously have ignored or, perhaps, never even have considered.

Third, the activity has a sense of drama. No one, not even you, knows what will be selected as the focus of the peer-assessment.

You can play this up to engage and motivate your learners.