What the eye doesn’t see: a case study exploring the less obvious impacts of peer assessment

For many years now literature has drawn attention to the close relationship between assessment processes and student learning. Increasing attention is currently being paid to exploring some of the inherent complexities in this relationship and how assessment can both promote and inhibit student learning. The role of peer assessment is currently being explored within this framework. This paper reflects on the beginnings of an evaluation into a peer assessment exercise introduced with the aim of enabling students to work actively with the assessment criteria whilst feeding back to each other on their formative work prior to summative submission. Current findings highlight the importance of engaging in an assessment dialogue with students as key issues may impact on student learning but remain invisible to the tutor. The emotional as well as cognitive aspects of peer learning are highlighted alongside the need for learning pedagogies to be incorporated at programme, as well as module, level for peer assessment to be most effective.