Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Online Peer-based Formative Assessments (PeerWise) to Enhance Student Learning in Physiology: A Systematic Review Using PRISMA Guidelines

Abstract

Due to the emerging demands on shifting focus towards the development of more student-centered and engaging learning experiences, this systematic review elucidates the effectiveness of PeerWise introduction into the blended learning model in Physiology education based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Twenty electronic databases were utilized to access related studies between years 2010 to April 2020. A total of eight recent articles on PeerWise in physiology were analyzed. Three studies were conducted among medical students, and five studies were among other courses (i.e., Pharmacy, Biomedical Science, Optometry, and Human Physiology). Majority of the study designs were of cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative studies. Data extracted from the articles include (i) the pattern of PeerWise usage, (ii) the association between PeerWise and academic achievement, (iii) the level of student engagement, (iv) the quality of questions created and (v) students’ perceptions. Four emerging themes were identified among students' perceptions; (i) learning competency, (ii) fun learning experience, (iii) engagement with peers, and (iv) motivation. Methodological quality and risk of biased were assessed; and research gaps, limitations and recommendations were addressed. The present review serves as a guide for new authors to refine their knowledge and improve future research in the topic area.

Answering questions in a co‐created formative exam question bank improves summative exam performance, while students perceive benefits from answering, authoring, and peer discussion: A mixed methods analysis of PeerWise

“…21 Studies of PeerWise use and impact come predominately from undergraduate STEM subjects (science, engineering, technology, and maths); many have shown positive correlations of overall PeerWise activity with examination results. [22][23][24][25][26] While it is difficult to disentangle the effect of the intervention from confounding factors such as other simultaneous learning activities and the intrinsic ability of students, studies in pharmacy, political science, accountancy, and STEM courses have shown improvements in assessments results when confounds such as previous academic performance are factored into the analyses. 13,[27][28][29] Attempts to determine which aspects of PeerWise use contributed to this positive correlation indicated that academic benefits arose from engaging across a range of activities.…”

“…26,31,32 Results from qualitative studies suggest that students found PeerWise an enjoyable learning experience which improved their learning competency, engagement with the materials, and motivation to learn. 26,31,32 Most interventions used PeerWise as a compulsory component of the curriculum, with engagement manipulated through inclusion of PeerWise exercises in summative assessment. 12,36,37 There remain contradictory reports, however, over whether medical students find compulsory MCQ writing exercises of educational benefit.…”

“…While the impact of engaging with PeerWise on academic performance in medical students remains unclear across studies, qualitative analyses of students’ perceptions of PeerWise use, in particular question answering, were generally favorable 26,31,32 . Results from qualitative studies suggest that students found PeerWise an enjoyable learning experience which improved their learning competency, engagement with the materials, and motivation to learn 26,31,32 . Most interventions used PeerWise as a compulsory component of the curriculum, with engagement manipulated through inclusion of PeerWise exercises in summative assessment 12,36,37 .…”

Evaluation of Field Practices of Building Education Program

“…With regards to the evaluation of Peer Wise in physiology courses, available data seem to be limited and incomplete with the current existing studies focused primarily on the association with academic performance and student perceptions. Therefore, the main focus of this review is to report comprehensively on the role of peer wise in supporting students' independent learning in physiology by further investigating the study characteristics, study designs, method of assessments, study limitations, and ultimately its effects on cognitive and affective performances (Khashaba, 2020).…”

Opportunities and Challenges of Online Learning Methods in Religious Education

“…PeerWise also includes a multiplechoice question bank as an additional learning tool for students. Teachers can use this feature to create or modify questions for future exams [9].…”