Harnessing Peer Feedback in Online Courses to Boost Engagement and Learning
As educators and instructional designers know, one of the biggest challenges in online education is creating a vibrant, collaborative community. Without the immediacy of face-to-face interaction, students can sometimes feel isolated, leading to reduced engagement and missed learning opportunities. Research shows, however, that peer feedback can significantly enhance both engagement and learning outcomes by fostering critical thinking, accountability, and self-reflection. In this post, we’ll explore how to effectively harness peer feedback in Canvas to improve both engagement and learning outcomes, supported by relevant research.
Benefits of Peer Feedback in Online Learning
Implementing peer feedback in your Canvas course offers a range of benefits that enrich both student experience and learning outcomes. Peer-reviewed studies provide strong evidence for the following key advantages:
- Increased Engagement: Peer feedback encourages students to interact with one another’s work, fostering a sense of community that can sometimes be hard to establish in online environments. Research by Peungcharoenkun and Waluyo (2024) found that students highly valued peer feedback in both online and offline settings, with online learners showing notably higher engagement levels (Peungcharoenkun & Waluyo, 2024).
- Enhanced Learning Retention: Reviewing and critiquing peers’ work helps students deepen their understanding of the subject. Jongsma et al. (2023) demonstrated that online peer feedback is particularly effective in developing writing skills, as it encourages students to reflect on their peers’ observations and integrate the feedback they receive, ultimately enhancing learning retention (Jongsma et al., 2023).
- Skill Development: Peer feedback hones essential skills such as communication, self-assessment, and constructive criticism. Noroozi et al. (2023) highlighted that online peer feedback enhances students’ learning processes and outcomes, fostering professional skills and improving overall academic performance (Noroozi et al., 2023).
- Accountability: Knowing that their work will be reviewed by peers motivates students to put in greater effort, as they feel a sense of responsibility toward their classmates. Corgan et al. (2004) noted that peer feedback in online learning environments increases the timeliness and quality of feedback, creating a stronger sense of community and accountability (Corgan et al., 2004).
Key Strategies for Implementing Peer Feedback Effectively in Canvas
To ensure a smooth and effective peer feedback experience, consider the following strategies, backed by evidence from the field:
- 1. Clear Guidelines and Criteria
Providing specific guidelines on how to give constructive feedback is essential. In Canvas, you can create rubrics that help students focus on the critical elements of the assignment. Research from the University of Oxford’s Centre for Teaching and Learning emphasizes that clear instructions and training help students provide better quality feedback, making the process more beneficial for all participants (University of Oxford, Centre for Teaching and Learning).
- 2. Training Students in Feedback Techniques
Not all students naturally know how to provide useful feedback. Start by sharing examples of high-quality feedback so students know what to aim for. Topping (1998) defines peer feedback as an arrangement where individuals evaluate their peers’ learning outcomes, underscoring its value in collaborative learning (Topping, 1998). Including a brief guide or video within Canvas on how to give feedback can go a long way in setting the stage.
- 3. Structuring the Feedback Process
Canvas allows you to use prompts within assignments to guide students on specific areas to review (e.g., “One strength of this submission is…,” “One area for improvement might be…”). Encouraging a balance between positive observations and constructive suggestions not only enhances learning but also helps maintain a supportive feedback culture. Wood (2020) found that technology-mediated peer feedback contributes significantly to students’ feedback literacy and engagement, highlighting the benefits of structured feedback engagement (Wood, 2020).
- 4. Using Anonymous Feedback Options
Sometimes, students may feel uncomfortable critiquing their peers, especially if they are new to each other. Canvas offers an anonymous peer review option, allowing students to submit feedback without revealing their identity. This option encourages honesty and fosters a safe environment for open communication. Oxford’s Centre for Teaching and Learning suggests that anonymity can enhance the quality of peer feedback by reducing social discomfort, enabling students to be more candid and constructive (University of Oxford, Centre for Teaching and Learning).
Technology and Tools for Facilitating Peer Feedback in Canvas
Canvas offers built-in tools specifically designed for peer feedback:
- Peer Review Assignments: Canvas’s peer review feature allows you to assign students to review each other’s work. This can be done manually or automatically, and you can set deadlines for peer reviews to ensure timely completion.
- Rubrics: Rubrics can be attached to peer-reviewed assignments, providing a structured way for students to evaluate one another’s work. Rubrics also standardize feedback, making it easier for students to understand how to provide constructive comments.
- Discussion Boards: Canvas’s discussion boards can be a more informal space for peer feedback. Students can post work-in-progress, ask for advice, and give feedback in a less structured environment, which can help build community and collaboration.
Best Practices for Maintaining Quality and Engagement
To ensure that peer feedback remains high-quality and engaging, keep the following best practices in mind:
- 1. Frequent Check-Ins and Instructor Involvement
As the instructor, monitor the quality of peer feedback. Canvas allows you to see all peer reviews, so make it a habit to check in on the feedback process regularly. Consider providing some instructor feedback alongside peer reviews to guide students, especially early on in the course.
- 2. Incorporating Reflection Activities
Encourage students to reflect on the feedback they receive. Within Canvas, you can set up short reflection assignments where students describe how they will apply the feedback they’ve received. Self-assessment, alongside peer feedback, helps students think critically about their work and make improvements.
- 3. Creating a Positive Feedback Culture
Establish a positive, respectful feedback culture by setting expectations at the start of the course. Remind students that feedback is intended to be a learning tool, not criticism, and model constructive feedback in your own responses. Sharing examples of how past students improved through peer feedback can motivate them to take the process seriously.
Overcoming Common Challenges in Peer Feedback
Peer feedback is highly beneficial, but it can present challenges. Here’s how to address some of the most common issues:
- 1. Ensuring Consistency in Feedback Quality
To ensure consistency, train students on effective feedback practices and use rubrics to guide their assessments. The clearer your instructions, the better the feedback students will provide.
- 2. Mitigating Bias and Managing Conflicts
Anonymous reviews can help mitigate bias, but if conflicts do arise, encourage students to approach feedback with an open mind. Provide them with strategies for handling feedback diplomatically, and be available to mediate if necessary.
- 3. Addressing Time Constraints
Peer review activities can be time-consuming. To manage this, consider making feedback assignments shorter and more focused, or reduce the number of required peer reviews per student. This keeps the workload manageable while still providing valuable learning experiences.
Conclusion
Peer feedback is a powerful tool for enhancing student engagement and learning in online courses, and Canvas offers a variety of tools to make this process smooth and effective. By carefully designing peer review assignments, training students in constructive feedback techniques, and fostering a positive feedback culture, you can unlock the full potential of peer feedback for your students. Not only will they learn to communicate and think critically, but they’ll also feel more connected to one another, building a collaborative learning environment that enriches the online experience.
Ready to get started? Take a small step by integrating a peer feedback assignment in Canvas using structured rubrics, and watch as your students begin to engage with their work—and each other—in deeper, more meaningful ways.
References
Corgan, M., Hammer, V., Margolies, M., & Crossley, C., 2004. Peer review in online courses through anonymity and accessibility. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(2), pp.412–425. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/jcmc/article/12/2/412/4582994.
Jongsma, K., Slof, B., & Friso, D., 2023. Exploring the role of peer feedback in online learning: Lessons from online writing improvement. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 14(1), pp.1–14. Available at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1418469.pdf.
Noroozi, O., Biemans, H., & Mulder, M., 2023. Online peer feedback in higher education: Enhancing learning processes and outcomes. Education and Information Technologies, 28(2), pp.12273–12290. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10639-023-12273-8.
Peungcharoenkun, N. & Waluyo, B., 2024. Student perceptions of peer feedback in online and face-to-face settings: Engagement and learning outcomes. Springer Open: Smart Learning Environments, 11(4), pp.286–296. Available at: https://sfleducation.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40862-024-00286-w.
Topping, K.J., 1998. Peer assessment between students in colleges and universities. Review of Educational Research, 68(3), pp.249–276. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11528-020-00496-2.
University of Oxford, Centre for Teaching and Learning, 2024. Peer Feedback in Online Learning. Available at: https://www.ctl.ox.ac.uk/peer-feedback.
Wood, J., 2020. Making peer feedback work: The contribution of technology-mediated dialogic peer feedback to feedback uptake and literacy. Bangor University. Available at: https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/files/71712400/Making_peer_feedback_work_the_contribution_of_technology-mediated_dialogic_peer_feedback_to_feedback_uptake_and_literacy_1_.pdf.