Effectiveness of peer review as cooperative web-based learning method applied out-of-class in a role playing game: A case study by quasi-experimental approach

Abstract

Education at universities requires a high proportion of self-study supported by instruments which motivate students to deepen their knowledge with case studies and training software. The gain in learning is higher when what is learned is reflected by others in a cooperative process. The Class Peer Review (CPR) requires from students to evaluate each other but lecturers lose a lot of time when applying it during the lecture. Research on CPR shows many different approaches to how this method should be carried out effectively and many of them still demand a high presence of the lecturer. In contrast to most studies, this article reports the results of a CPR conducted outside the classroom and assisted by a web-supported role playing game representing a publisher where a common online class journal is used as an incentive and motivational element. The effectiveness of CPR was examined by means of a quasi-experimental study. It turned out that the experimental group used the training software significantly more frequently in addition to the lecture materials and a meaningful increase in group dynamics was recorded. Also female students were more motivated to continue this type of group work in the future. Final grades were better under CPR conditions, but the effect was statistically weak. Basically, the CPR method seems to be an effective tool to extend problem-based teaching to the self-learning phase if practiced in combinaktion with a role play and fictive Class-Journals as incentive. This provides further potential to e-learning instruments.

Effectiveness of class peer‐review under varied multiple review designs: A teaching method with homeschooling format

“…Hypothesis H-5 is therefore maintained. This is in line with current research literature, where Stark et al (2010) already noted a higher subjectively perceived group membership, but according to Friedrich (2019), Aziz and Hossain (2010) and Crowe et al (2015) the effect on performance in the exam is hardly pronounced. Obviously even a repeated review on the same topic could not change this.…”

“…That a CPR has an effect on the variables of the Basic Needs has already been confirmed by the research literature, for example under Hossain and Tarmizi (2013). The author of the study on hand had already revealed the same in a study for an out‐of‐class application (Friedrich, 2019). Whether a significant change in the characteristics of the corresponding items actually took place as a result of the review‐design and whether this also had an effect on the knowledge test is now to be clarified.…”

“…(2006) also see a structured CPR process as a pressure for rather introverted silent learners to actively interact with fellow students and to share their knowledge for the benefit of others with positive effects for themselves and the whole group. Karami and Rezaei (2015) observe an increase in the perceived collegial atmosphere from the peer assessment and Friedrich (2019) also demonstrated this effect even in out‐of‐class CPR. The hypothesis underlying this is as follows:

H‐5: Carrying out the reviews on several different or identical topics leads to the same degree of perceived social involvement in both comparison groups.

…”

“…For this purpose, Crowe et al. (2015) call for further research and Friedrich (2019) already applied CPR out‐of‐class successfully with engineering students, but with only one round of reviews and a single main topic. However, only a weak effect on exam grades could be observed.…”

Communication behavior of students in a virtual classroom

“…Следовательно, виртуальное И. Т. Мавродиева академическое общение и дистанционное обучение формируют знания и практический опыт. При организации тренингов, ролевых и симуляционных игр со студентами в будущем можно обсудить варианты включения экспертной оценки в качестве совместного веб-метода, который на практике является квазиэкспериментальным методом и описан Даниэлем Фридрихом (Friedrich 2019).…”