3.2.1. INTRODUCTION
As covered in previous sections (e.g., 2.1), peer assessment (or peer review) is a structured process based on mutual feedback that can support the development of reflective skills in that students not only provide feedback (thus reflecting on their peers’ work), but also have the possibility to receive feedback, reviewing their own work and improving on it. As a result, peer assessment can be empowering, as students have the opportunity to exchange ideas and build on their knowledge, sharing their insights and taking responsibility for their own learning, thus engaging higher-order learning and developing critical thinking and collaboration competences.
Traditionally carried out in onsite, face-to-face settings (in activities involving group discussions and presentations), currently, peer assessment is currently supported and facilitated by most VLE, namely through workshop modules (in the case of Moodle). The affordances of such tools include the fact that they centralize and automate the process (students can submit their assignments, provide and access feedback and grades, whereas facilitators can randomly allocate tasks and reviews) and that it allows for some customization (regarding anonymity and permissions within the platform).
As an alternative to Moodle workshop, other VLE feature Self and Peer Assessment (Blackboard) or Peer review (Canvas), amongst others.