Web-based peer assessment: feedback for students with various thinking-styles

This study used aptitude treatment interaction design to examine how feedba ck formats (specific vs. holistic) and executive thinking styles (high vs. low) affect web-based peer assessment. An Internet-based (anonymous) peer-a ssessment system was developed and used by 58 computer science students who submitted assignments for peer review. The results indicated that while st udents with high executive thinking styles significantly improved over two rounds of peer assessment, low executive students did not improve through t he cycles. In addition, high executive students contributed substantially b etter feedback than their low executive counterparts. In the second round o f peer assessment, thinking style and feedback format interactively affecte d student learning. Low executive students receiving specific feedback sign ificantly outperformed those receiving holistic feedback. In receiving holi stic feedback, high executive thinkers outperformed their low executive cou nterparts. This study suggests that future web-based peer assessment adopts a specific feedback format for all students.