Using Peer Feedback to Promote Reflection on Open-Ended Problems

TL;DR

This paper introduces Peer-Assisted Reflection (PAR), a novel approach that leverages peer feedback to enhance student learning and reflection on open-ended physics problems, fostering collaboration and iterative improvement.

Contribution

It presents a new structured method, PAR, that integrates peer feedback into homework to promote reflection and collaborative learning on open-ended problems.

Findings

PAR encourages iterative improvement of student work.

Students engage more deeply with open-ended problems.

Peer feedback enhances understanding and reflection.

Abstract

This paper describes a new approach for learning from homework, called Peer-Assisted Reflection (PAR). PAR involves students using peer feedback to improve their work on open-ended homework problems. Collaborating with peers and revising one's work based on the feedback of others are important aspects of doing and learning physics. While notable exceptions exist, homework and exams are generally individual activities that do not support collaboration and refinement, which misses important opportunities to use assessment for learning. In contrast, PAR provides students with a structure to iteratively engage with challenging, open-ended problems and solicit the input of their peers to improve their work.