Evaluative judgement and peer assessment: promoting a beneficial reciprocal relationship

There are many pedagogical benefits of peer assessment: it can develop content knowledge, students’ feedback skills, and afford additional sources of feedback for students. Furthermore, peer assessment can contribute to the development of students' evaluative judgement, a core capability for independent practice and lifelong learning. However, peer assessment is frequently seen as problematic, due to logistical issues, and concern from both staff and students around the ability of peers to contribute meaningfully to learning. Somewhat paradoxically, students’ evaluative judgement is likely to contribute to successful peer assessment. Technological solutions for peer assessment can have a significant role in improving uptake of peer assessment practices. If such implementations also focus on the core requirements/principles of evaluative judgement development, this may be one way to improve the success of peer assessment. This paper provides a rationale for the inclusion of peer assessment within curricula. It introduces the concept of evaluative judgement; highlights the benefits and challenges currently faced within peer assessment, and identifies desired functionalities for peer assessment and evaluative judgement that could be implemented through technological means.There are many pedagogical benefits of peer assessment: it can develop content knowledge, students’ feedback skills, and afford additional sources of feedback for students. Furthermore, peer assessment can contribute to the development of students' evaluative judgement, a core capability for independent practice and lifelong learning. However, peer assessment is frequently seen as problematic, due to logistical issues, and concern from both staff and students around the ability of peers to contribute meaningfully to learning. Somewhat paradoxically, students’ evaluative judgement is likely to contribute to successful peer assessment. Technological solutions for peer assessment can have a significant role in improving uptake of peer assessment practices. If such implementations also focus on the core requirements/principles of evaluative judgement development, this may be one way to improve the success of peer assessment. This paper provides a rationale for the inclusion of peer assessment within curricula. It introduces the concept of evaluative judgement; highlights the benefits and challenges currently faced within peer assessment, and identifies desired functionalities for peer assessment and evaluative judgement that could be implemented through technological means.