Abstract
Peer feedback is referred to as comments provided by one student to another with the intention to aid their peers’ progress in learning. The responses or feedback provided by peers has been recognised as an integral part of the learning process in online learning environments. However, the research on using peer feedback to stimulate students’ higher level of thinking, especially at the secondary school level, in asynchronous online discussions is rather limited. Hence, this is a gap that the researcher attempts to address in this study. A case study was conducted among Economics students from an all-girls high school located at the northern part of Malaysia. The findings show that the most common type of feedback provided by students in the four AODs was categorised at cognitive dimension, with the affective and the metacognitive dimensions following behind. Even though most of the students had positive perceptions toward peer feedback of their learning in AODs, the findings show that there was a lack of constructive feedback found in AOD forums. Therefore, based on the findings of this study, some recommendations for future research have been proposed.



Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
Alqassab, M., Strijbos, J.-W., Ufer, S. (2016). Exploring the composition process of peer feedback. Singapore: International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Armellini, A., & Stefani, M. D. (2016). Social presence in the 21st century: An adjustment to theCommunity of inquiry framework. British Journal of Educational Technology, 47(6), 1202–1216.
Chen, Y. C., & Tsai, C. C. (2009). An educational research course facilitated by online peer assessment. Innovations in Education and Teachin International, 46(1), 105–117.
Cheng, K.-H., & Hou, H.-T. (2015). Exploring students’ behavioural patterns during online peer assessment from the affective, cognitive, and metacognitive perspectives: A progressive sequential analysis. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 24(2), 171–188.
Cheong, C. M., & Cheung, W. S. (2008). Online discussion and critical thinking skills: A case study in a Singapore secondary school. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology and Society, 24(5), 556–573.
Ching, Y.-H., & Hsu, Y.-C. (2013). Peer feedback to facilitate project-based learning in an online environment. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 14(5), 259–276.
Cohen, A. J., & Spencer, J. (1993). Using writing across the curriculum in economics: Is taking the plunge worth t? The Journal of Economic Education, 24(3), 219–230.
Demirbilek, M. (2015). Social media and peer feedback: What do students really think about using wiki and Facebook as platforms for peer feedback? Active Learning in Higher Education, 16(3), 211–224.
Ekahitanond, V. (2013). Promoting university students’ critical thinking skills through peer feedback activity in an online discussion forum. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 59(2), 247–265.
Ertmer, P. A., Richardson, J. C., Belland, B., Camin, D., Connolly, P., Coulthard, G., & Mong, C. (2007). Using peer feedback to enhance the quality of student online postings: An exploratory study. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12, 78–99.
Ertmer, P. A., Richardson, J. C., Lehman, J. D., Newby, T. J., Cheng, X. C., Mong, C., & Sadaf, A. (2010). Peer feedback in a large undergraduate blended course: Perceptions of value and learning. Journal Educational Computing Research, 43(1), 67–88.
Faridah, D., Thoyyibah, L., & Kurnia, A. D. (2020). Promoting students’ critical thinking through peer feedback in oral communication classroom. Academic Journal Perspective: Education, Language, and Literature, 8(1), 50–59.
Gielen, M., & Wever, B. D. (2012). Peer assessment in a wiki: Product improvement, students’ learning and perception regarding peer feedback. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 69, 585–594.
Hew, K. F. (2015). Student perceptions of peer versus instructor facilitation of asynchronous online discussions: Further findings from three cases. Instructional Science, 43, 19–38.
Khasminder, S., & Tan, B. H. (2016). Effects of structured peer feedback on secondary school students’ text revision. The English Teacher, 45(3), 126–143.
Li, L., Liu, X., & Steckelberg, A. L. (2010). Assessor or assessee: How student learning improves by giving and receiving peer feedback. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(3), 525–536.
Lin, S. S., Liu, E. Z. F., & Yuan, S. M. (2001). Web‐based peer assessment: feedback for students with various thinking‐styles. Journal of computer assisted Learning, 17(4), 420–432.
Liu, N. F., & Carless, D. (2006). Peer feedback: the learning element of peer assessment. Teaching in Higher education, 11(3), 279–290.
López-Pellisa, T., Rotger, N., & Rodríguez-Gallego, F. (2020). Collaborative writing at work: Peer feedback in a blended learning environment. Education and Information Technologies, 1–18.
Lundstrom, K., & Baker, W. (2009). To give is better than to receive: The benefits of peer review to the receiver's own writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 18, 30–43.
McCarthy, J. (2017). Enhancing feedback in higher education: Students’ attitudes towards online and in-class formative assessment feedback models. Active Learning in Higher Education, 18(2), 127–141.
Miao, Y., Badger, R., & Zhen, Y. (2006). A comparative study of peer and teacher feedback in a Chinese EFL writing class. Journal of Second Language Writing, 15, 179–200.
Noroozi, O., & Hatami, J. (2019). The effects of online peer feedback and epistemic beliefs on students’ argumentation-based learning. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 56(5), 548–557.
Richardson, J. C., Ertmer, P., Lehman, J. (2007a). Using peer feedback in online discussions to improve critical thinking. Paper presented at the proceedings of the annual meeting of the association for educational communications and technology, Anaheim, California.
Richardson, J. C., Ertmer, P., Lehman, J., Newby, T. (2007b). Using Peer Feedback in Online Discussions to Improve Critical Thinking. Paper presented at the proceedings of the annual meeting of the association for educational communications and technology, Anaheim, CA.
Seo, K. K. (2007). Utilizing peer moderating in online discussions: Addressing the controversy between teacher moderation and nonmoderation. The American Journal of Distance Education, 21(1), 21–36.
Strijbos, J.-W., Narciss, S., & Disünnebier, K. (2010). Peer feedback content and sender’s competence level in academic writing revision tasks: Are they critical for feedback perceptions and efficiency? Learning and Instruction, 20, 291–303.
Topping, K. J. (1998). Peer assessment between students in colleges and universities. Review of Educational Research, 68, 249–276.
Tsai, C.-C., & Liang, J.-C. (2009). The development of science activities via on-line peer assessment: The role of scientific epistemological views. Instructional Science, 37, 293–310.
van der Boom, G., Paas, F., & van Merrienboer, J. J. G. (2007). Effects of elicited reflections combined with tutor or peer feedback on self-regulated learning and learning outcomes. Learning and Instruction, 17, 532–548.
Xie, K. (2013). What do the numbers say? The influence of motivation and peer feedback on students’ behaviour in online discussions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 44(2), 288–301.
Xie, K., Yub, C., & Bradshaw, A. C. (2014). Impacts of role assignment and participation in asynchronous discussions in college-level online classes. Internet and Higher Education, 20, 10–19.
Yang, Y.-T. C. (2008). A catalyst for teaching critical thinking in a large university class in Taiwan: Asynchronous online discussions with the facilitation of teaching assistants. Education Technology Research Development, 56, 241–264.
Yang, Y.-T. C., Newby, T. J., & Bill, R. L. (2005). Using socratic questioning to promote critical thinking skills through asynchronous discussion forums in distance learning environments. American Journal of Distance Education, 19(3), 163–181.
Yang, Y.-T. C., Chuang, Y.-C., Li, L.-Y., & Tseng, S.-S. (2013). A blended learning environment for individualized English listening and speaking integrating critical thinking. Computers & Education, 63, 285–305.
Zhang, H., Song, W., Shen, S., & Huang, R. (2014). The effects of blog-mediated peer feedback on learners’ motivation, collaboration, and course satisfaction in a second language writing course. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 30(6), 670–685.
Zydney, J. M., deNoyelles, A., & Seo, K. K.-J. (2012). Creating a community of inquiry in online environments: An exploratory study on the effect of a protocol on interactions within asynchronous discussions. Computers & Education, 58, 77–87.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Foo, S. Analysing peer feedback in asynchronous online discussions: A case study. Educ Inf Technol 26, 4553–4572 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10477-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10477-4