CRITICAL THINKING AND PEER ASSESSMENT BY VICTOR MUSHIMBAMI
HOW DOES CRITICAL THINKING RELATE TO PEER ASSESSMENT?
Critical thinking is the skill of gathering and analyzing information to come up with new conclusions or perspectives. (Uopeople, 2021). In academic writing, critical thinking involves using evidence, logic, and reasoning to support your claims and arguments. (Uopeople, 2021).
Peer assessment is the process of giving and receiving feedback from other students on your work. At the University of the People, peer assessment involves posting your assignment in a discussion forum and evaluating three other students' assignments. (Uopeople, 2021).
Critical thinking and peer assessment are closely related, because both require you to examine and evaluate the quality and validity of information. To assess your peers' work, you need to apply critical thinking skills to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments, and to provide constructive and respectful feedback. Likewise, to improve your own work, you need to use critical thinking skills to reflect on the feedback you receive from your peers and to revise your work accordingly. (Uopeople, 2021).
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Peer assessment is a valuable experience that gives students insight into the ideas and perspectives of their classmates and sharpens their critical thinking skills. This is a key element of how learning and community are emphasized at UoPeople. (Uopeople, 2021, p. 9)
Strategies I use when assessing my peers at the University of the People:
- Critical thinking. I use critical thinking skills to analyze and evaluate the arguments and evidence presented by my peers. I also keep an open mind and be willing to revise my own views if necessary. Critical thinking is not about being negative or complaining, but about being rational and logical. (Doe & Cavdar, 2021, p. 298).
- Evidence-based feedback. I use the information and resources available to me on the Uopeople platform to support my feedback. I provide specific examples and references to show where my peers did well or where they can improve. I avoid vague or subjective comments that are not helpful or constructive.
- Teaching and learning. I aim to help my peers learn better what they already know and discover new things that they may not know. I also learn from their feedback and their work. I write my comments in a respectful and friendly tone, as if I were talking to them in person. I treat peer assessment as an opportunity to teach and learn from each other. (Cavdar & Doe, 2012).
I am not surprised or concerned by the assessment process at the University of the People. I think assessment is very important for both the university and the students. I just need to learn and get used to the process.
At the University of the People, peer assessment is an important part of the learning process. I have to evaluate three of my peers’ assignments and receive feedback from them on mine. The assignments are posted during the learning week, which is always on Wednesday. The instructor then reviews the grades and comments given by the peers and decides the final grade. The students’ grade may be affected by how fair and constructive they are in assessing their peers. (Uopeople, 2021).
I think peer assessment is fair because we have the instructor’s guidance and supervision. I trust that the instructors are knowledgeable and experienced in the field we are studying. Peer assessment also helps students practice critical thinking skills, as they have to analyze and evaluate the work of others and themselves. (Çavdar & Doe, 2012).
At the University of the People, peer assessment is an important part of the learning process. I have to evaluate three of my peers’ assignments and receive feedback from them on mine. The assignments are posted during the learning week, which is always on Wednesday. The instructor then reviews the grades and comments given by the peers and decides the final grade. The students’ grade may be affected by how fair and constructive they are in assessing their peers. (Uopeople, 2021).
I think peer assessment is fair because we have the instructor’s guidance and supervision. I trust that the instructors are knowledgeable and experienced in the field we are studying. Peer assessment also helps students practice critical thinking skills, as they have to analyze and evaluate the work of others and themselves. (Çavdar & Doe, 2012).
References
Çavdar, G., & Doe, S. (2012). Learning through writing: Teaching critical thinking skills in writing assignments. PS: Political Science and Politics, 45(2), 298–306. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41433696.
Uopeople. (2021). Learning Resource Center. Retrieved from https://my.uopeople.edu/course/view.php?id=3963§ion=1.
Uopeople. (2021). Learning Resource Center. Retrieved from https://my.uopeople.edu/course/view.php?id=3963§ion=3.
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