Understanding how embedded peer comments affect student quiz scores, academic writing and lecture note-taking accuracy

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to better understand the relationship between peer feedback in the context of online collaborative note-taking and how comments impacted student performance and understanding. Design/methodology/approach This one sample investigation was of graduate students participating in an academic writing class working collaboratively online. Data was gathered on student feedback during note-taking activity to test for its effects on student performance and understanding. Findings The use of peer comments in online note-taking was found to impact student quiz scores and academic writing skills positively. However, no significance was found between comments and the completeness of their notes taken, suggesting its limits to promote deeper understanding. Research limitations/implications The level and detail about the comments made and how accurately they recall the important details from the video lectures is not known. The average number of comments made weekly by each group was also low. Practical implications Designers and teachers using online collaborative activities could benefit by understanding the nature in which peer comments can enhance student learning, bearing in mind the need for explicit guidance in how to comment and at what level of knowledge their comments should target. Social implications Online collaboration, peer editing and commenting is widely used by educators and the public. A better understanding of how these elements operate might improve the quality of knowledge artefacts such as academic writing and research notes. Originality/value Existing literature focuses mainly on peer feedback on writing or other artefacts; this paper seeks to find out more about the impact of comments in particular on collaborative note-taking.

Online peer editing: effects of comments and edits on academic writing skills

“…The findings indicate that students who receive more comments will write better papers, which coincides with evidence suggesting that students may improve their writing performance after receiving comments from their peers in the learning process ( Ebadi and Rahimi, 2017 ; Huisman et al., 2018 , 2019 ; Shvidko, 2015 ; Zhang et al., 2021 ). Students may improve their work based on the feedback they received, which identifies their writing's strengths and faults ( Casey and Goodyear, 2015 ).…”

“…These two methods provide students an opportunity to discuss ideas and questions, review, criticize, and edit each other's work by adding suggestions and responding to them ( Lin and Reigeluth, 2016 ; Zhu and Carless, 2018 ), which activate key cognitive processes. Existing evidence supports the claim that peer feedback may improve students' academic writing performance ( Ebadi and Rahimi, 2017 ; Huisman et al., 2018 , 2019 ; Zhang et al., 2021 ). However, there is a lack of clarity regarding how giving and receiving comments and edits will affect students' writing performance separately, especially in an online collaborative context.…”

“…The average age of the students was 25.7 (SD = 3.6), with a minimum age of 21 and a maximum age of 39 among the participants in the present study. The purpose of the scientific writing course was to teach students to write a journal manuscript on their graduate research findings ( Zhang et al., 2021 ). The course was given in an online format, and pre-recorded video lectures were provided on the course learning management system for students to view at their convenience.…”

“…Many studies have shown improvements in performance after students received comments during the learning process ( Huisman et al., 2018 , 2019 ; Zhang et al., 2021 ). A possible explanation is that receiving comments from others is helpful to student learning because during this process, receivers are encouraged to participate in the evaluation and reflection of their peers' comments ( Shvidko, 2015 ).…”

The Improvement of the Students’ Ability in Writing Procedure Text Using Video Recipe

“…Brown (1992); Plakans et al (2019) state that writing can be used to create and sustain contact with others, communicate information, express feelings and emotions, entertain, and persuade as a mode of communication. As a result, EFL teachers should provide plenty of opportunities for students to practice writing in English during the teaching and learning process (Zhang et al, 2021;Haerazi et al, 2021). They should be an example of English and should be able to select resources and present them in a manner that achieves the instruction's goal.…”