Peer evaluation and Peer review to support PBL teamwork

Abstract

In a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum in engineering, students work together as a project team. By doing that they have the opportunity to exercise teamwork competencies, like project management and communication skills while studying various engineering topics. In this process feedback is essential in order to stimulate the students. However, the lecturers do not witness all the interactions in the group and also it takes a lot of time to give extensive feedback. Peer review and Peer evaluation method enable teachers to assess teamwork competencies more completely and more time efficient. An extra benefit is that the students learn to take responsibility for assessing the value of contributions to the team efforts. Based on a research project at TU Delft in the Netherlands, this paper will present a variety of Peer evaluation and Peer review instruments and discuss their potential in supporting the PBL group process.