Elements Influencing Peer Evaluation: An Examination of Individual Characteristics, Academic Performance, and Collaborative Processes

Abstract

Collaborative learning has existed for some time, and instructional methods have been developed, such as cooperative learning, team learning, and problem‐based learning. The purpose of this study is to observe students in learning teams and how their observations of their team and team members are reflected in peer evaluations. We examine pre‐ and post‐team history elements, such as basic demographics, personality factors, exam scores, and observations of team process and team goal attainment. Pre‐ and post‐team history factors correlate with peer evaluations and are discussed. In our analyses, we take into account intraclass correlations and individual and group effects. Suggestions are given for future research.

Influences on peer evaluation in a group project: an exploration of leadership, demographics and course performance

“…Our study supports the conclusions of others that peer evaluations positively correlate with both course performance (Persons 1998;Watson, BarNir, and Pavur 2010) and leadership (Lee and Lim 2012). Our study contributes to the literature by offering a quantitative analysis of the relationship between leadership and peer evaluations, and correcting for some weaknesses in previous studies.…”

“…Our study contributes to the literature by offering a quantitative analysis of the relationship between leadership and peer evaluations, and correcting for some weaknesses in previous studies. For example, because in our sample course grades were not divulged to group members, we can reject the notion that peer evaluations result only from seeing the grades of others, a question elicited by Watson, BarNir, and Pavur's (2010) study. The significant relationships among course performance, leadership and peer evaluations point to the likely relationship among these variables.…”

“…However, studies have found some evidence that peers may evaluate students of colour lower than white students (Kaufman, Felder, and Fuller 2000;Watson, BarNir, and Pavur 2010). This finding reflects research done in the workplace, with researchers identifying racial bias in performance reviews (Castilla 2008).…”

“…There have been few studies that investigate whether gender bias emerges in student peer evaluation in higher educational settings, but Watson, BarNir, and Pavur (2010) found no effect of gender on peer evaluation. This finding contrasts with several studies investigating gender differences in the evaluation of men and women in the workplace (Eagly, Makhijani, and Klonsky 1992).…”

“…Correlations with course performance Some scholars (Persons 1998;Watson, BarNir, and Pavur 2010), but not others (Dingel, Wei, and Huq 2013), found that peer evaluations correlate with performance. The positive correlations emerged even though the peer evaluation methods used in the research explicitly sought to measure cooperative efforts, or 'team citizenship', and not the quality of the work per se.…”