Jim Lindsey, an instructor at Western Kentucky University, discusses using peer evaluations, peer critiques, custom projects, and small group discussions in the classroom. He outlines what each technique is, potential pros and cons, examples of implementation, and lessons learned. Small group discussions allow students to think critically, improve communication skills, and learn from each other. Custom projects set an individualized but standardized assignment to prevent cheating. Peer critiques and evaluations give students experience assessing peers' work while also providing detailed feedback to other students. Lindsey emphasizes clear instructions, examples, practice, and accountability for successful implementation of these collaborative learning strategies.

1. Jim Lindsey, Western Kentucky University
Peer Evaluations, Peer Critiques, Custom
Projects and Small Group Discussions

2. Who am I?
• Jim Lindsey, Instructor
• Western Kentucky University
– Computer Information Systems
– Computer Information Technology
– Systems Management
• jim.lindsey@wku.edu

3. Water Dog

4. Today’s Agenda
• Topics
– Small Group
Discussions
– Custom Projects
– Peer Critiques
– Peer Evaluations
• Questions
– What are they?
– Pros
– Cons
– Implementation
– Examples
– Lessons Learned

5. Who are you?
• What is your name?
• Name of the
school/company you
represent.
• What is your favorite subject
to teach? Why?
• What is your least favorite
subject to teach? Why?

6. Small Group Discussions:
What are They?
• Large classrooms
• Groups of 3 or 4
• Reporting back
• Encouraging,
challenging, drawing
others into a
conversation

7. Small Group Discussions:
Pros
• Students think critically
• Students’ communication skills
improve
– Practice articulating opinions
– Practice debating and persuading
• Students’ presentation skills
improve (via small and large
group discussions)

8. Small Group Discussions:
Pros
• Students learn from each
other
• Smart, shy students are
forced to participate
• Students get to know their
classmates
• Students don’t get as bored
during class

9. Small Group Discussions:
Cons
• Some students don’t
want to participate
– Extremely shy
– Sage on the stage
• Some groups do not
answer questions as
instructed

10. Small Group Discussions:
Cons
• Some groups talk
too much
• Some groups go
down the wrong
track

11. Small Group Discussions:
Implementation
• We did this!

12. Small Group Discussions:
Examples
• We did this!

13. Small Group Discussions:
Lessons Learned
• Use this technique
judiciously
– Get/maintain attention
– Hard topics?
• Compensation
• Competition can be good!
• Role in a flipped classroom?

14. Small Group Discussions:
Application
• Identify one way that a teammate (not you) could
implement this technique in their favorite class.

15. Custom Projects:
What are They?
• Individualized
assignments
• Same instructions
• Same grading rubric

16. Custom Projects:
Pros
• Students cannot cheat
• Students can share work
• High performance bar

17. Custom Projects:
Cons
• Each students does
something different
• Grading can take
awhile
• Sometimes requires
flexibility

18. Custom Projects:
Implementation
• Instructions have to be
clear
• Encourage/reward
creativity
• Have students post their
work –all of it!

19. Custom Projects:
Examples
LinkedIn
Twitter
Web sites
CIT 436
CIS 141

20. Custom Projects:
Lessons Learned
• Encourage your better
students to:
– Finish early
– Post their work for
others to see

21. Peer Critiques:
What are They?
• Students provide
feedback to peers
about their
performance on
assignments
• Teacher provides a
concise grading rubric!

22. Peer Critiques:
Pros
• Worker gets detailed feedback from
peers
• Students get practice assessing
someone’s work
• Evaluators pay close attention to
worker
• Everyone learns (from good and bad
examples)

23. Peer Critiques:
Cons
• Some students want
teacher to do ALL
evaluation
• Some students will not
rate peers accurately

24. Peer Critiques:
Implementation
• Create a concise rubric
– Post the rubric early
– Explain it clearly
– Make students practice
– Give students feedback
about their practice work
– Hold everyone accountable
• Compensate Evaluators

25. Peer Critiques:
Examples
• CIT 436 Research Papers
• CIS 141 Presentation

26. Peer Critiques:
Lessons Learned
• Communicate your
expectations in the
beginning!
• Provide examples
• As much as possible,
make needed corrections
along the way

27. Peer Evaluations:
What are They?
• At end of a group project,
students score the
performance of ALL
teammates
• Teacher provides a
concise scoring rubric!

28. Peer Evaluations:
Pros
• Motivates students to
perform
• Students get practice
assessing other people’s
work
• Venting mechanism
• Bragging mechanism

29. Peer Evaluations:
Cons
• Some students want
teacher to do ALL
evaluation
• Some students will not
rate peers accurately

30. Peer Evaluations:
Implementation
• Create a concise rubric
– Post the rubric early
– Explain it clearly
– Make students practice
– Give students feedback
about their practice work
– Hold everyone accountable
• Compensate Evaluators

31. Peer Evaluations:
Examples
• CIS 141
Video
Project

32. Peer Evaluations:
Lessons Learned
• Communicate your
expectations in the
beginning!
• As much as possible,
make needed corrections
along the way
• Penalize lazy people

33. Application
• How could you include custom
projects, peer critiques or peer
evaluations in your favorite
class?

34. Questions

35. PEER EVALUATIONS, PEER CRITIQUES, CUSTOM PROJECTS
AND SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Jim Lindsey, Western Kentucky University