Does anonymous peer review improve the quality of high school students’ work (especially in writing) by lessening anxiety, and does it help students to better understand the expectations of the assignment?

Daren Dressler


Seminar Title


Does anonymous peer review improve the quality of high school students’ work (especially in writing) by lessening anxiety, and does it help students to better understand the expectations of the assignment?


Concept/Strategy

Focus of the Research


Peer Review


Grade Level

Research Was Applied


9th Grade


Relevant Grade Level

Connections


High School


Discipline

Where Research Was Applied


Language Arts


Additional Discipline Areas

I see Application to


Writing


Invitation/Commercial


“YIPPEE! I just got 30 rough drafts from my ninth graders. I can’t wait to go home and give up all of my free time to read all of these papers and give my students thoughtful feedback”...said no teacher ever. Of course teachers want to help students. That’s why we went into this profession, but the reality of the matter is that giving effective feedback is difficult and time-consuming. Even when we give effective feedback, many students don’t look at it or learn from it, so why did you just give up your Saturday night to give that amazing feedback? I am especially excited about my research because it addressed both issues aforementioned: 1) teachers don’t have time to give effective feedback; and 2) students don’t spend the necessary time learning from the feedback. The research shows the effectiveness of peer review, and it connects to every grade level. If you assign compositions, this session is for you! If you have students collaborate with peers, this session is for you! If you want to teach students responsibility and accountability, this session is for you, and if you want to get back some of your countless hours spent grading without feeling guilty, this session is for you! Start spending less time grading at home, and your students will start spending more time learning. Come to my session and I will show you how!


Abstract


The question guiding my research is as follows: Does peer review improve the quality of high school students’ work (especially in writing) by lessening anxiety, and does it help students to better understand the expectations of the assignment? After a careful review of the literature around this topic, I found that there were four main points around peer review: 1) it’s a time saver for teachers and students; 2) it gives students more relatable and meaningful feedback; 3) it promotes guidance for a final draft; and 4) anonymity in peer review helps students to alleviate anxiety. After doing the research, I recognized an area that was underrepresented. Most of the research that had been done was on either elementary or middle school students. There were very few studies about peer review at the high school level. All of the research enticed me to implement a study about peer review at the secondary level. I learned from the mistakes that were made in the other studies. The primary issue in most other studies was lack of preparation and guidance. I gave students the skills they needed to actually participate in peer review. I also gave them specific questions to help guide their peer review assignments. They had five practice peer review assignments before the final composition was due. I gave surveys before the first peer review, after 3 practices, and then after the final assessment. While doing the research, I discovered that giving students the tools they need yields positive results. The study improved tests scores, helped students collaborate, and surveys suggested that students were much more comfortable with peer review after several practice activities. It’s important to make students feel comfortable in the classroom. We want students to take risks and embrace failure as a learning opportunity. In order for that to happen, students have to be comfortable with their peers, and they have to know that they won’t be judged when they take risks. A combination of anonymous and known peer review helps students break down these barriers that prevent them from collaborating with others to enhance their learning. This study was shown to not only improve test scores, but to also prepare students for a collaborative workplace where technology is the driving force in learning and communicating. Additionally, I look forward to continuing practice in peer review to create a more collaborative and respecting classroom environment.