Managing group work: the impact of peer assessment on student engagement

This paper investigates whether students’ involvement in peer assessment affects their learning engagement. The study used a mixed-method approach based on qualitative responses and regression analysis from a survey of 165 first-year undergraduates in a UK university.

Findings suggest that students perception of the fairness of the assessment process, their personal experience and their contribution to the group task are associated with their engagement with the group assessment. The study contributes to the literature by focusing on the assessment of the entire learning journey within a group rather than the final group output. In particular, the study highlights the significant contributions of peer assessment in managing student engagement in modules and/or assessments for large cohorts.