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Effects of Scaffolded Peer Assessment on Students’ Holistic Critical Thinking in Academic Writing

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Blended Learning: Engaging Students in the New Normal Era (ICBL 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13357))

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Abstract

Peer assessment is a common strategy in English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL or EFL) writing classrooms. Researchers and practitioners generally consider peer feedback useful for the improvement of students’ writing performance. However, little research has been conducted to investigate the effects of peer assessment on students’ academic writing, so in this study, we examined the effects of technology enhanced peer assessment on students’ academic writing performance. As critical thinking is essential for academic writing, we also investigated the effects of peer assessment on EFL students’ critical thinking. A total of 60 EFL students participated in the research. They learned and practiced academic writing using Google Doc. and conducted peer assessment and provided feedback using Flipgrid. Their writing performance was graded, and the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric was used to evaluate their critical thinking as demonstrated in the writing products. The results indicated that although statistically significant differences existed between the two groups of students’ written products, they achieved similar levels of holistic critical thinking. This suggests that with appropriate scaffolding, students could be guided to assess their writing critically.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of English Language Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR

    Di Zou

  2. Department of Computing and Decision Sciences, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong SAR

    Haoran Xie

  3. School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

    Fu Lee Wang

Authors
  1. Di Zou
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  2. Haoran Xie
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  3. Fu Lee Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Di Zou .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

    Richard Chen Li

  2. Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong, China

    Simon K. S. Cheung

  3. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

    Peter H. F. Ng

  4. Tung Wah College, Hong Kong, China

    Leung-Pun Wong

  5. Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong, China

    Fu Lee Wang

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Zou, D., Xie, H., Wang, F.L. (2022). Effects of Scaffolded Peer Assessment on Students’ Holistic Critical Thinking in Academic Writing. In: Li, R.C., Cheung, S.K.S., Ng, P.H.F., Wong, LP., Wang, F.L. (eds) Blended Learning: Engaging Students in the New Normal Era. ICBL 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13357. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08939-8_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08939-8_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-08938-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-08939-8

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