HCII PhD Thesis Proposal: Amy Shannon Cook, "Using Interactive Learning Activities to Address Challenges of Peer Feedback Systems"

Effective feedback is a central tenet for project-based learning, but the limits of feedback resources become increasingly evident as class sizes increase. For example, time demands preclude instructors from providing frequent, detailed feedback for every student in large classes. Instructors often turn to peer feedback systems to provide feedback at scale. However, existing peer feedback systems struggle to engage students in the process, to improve feedback quality over time, and to support reflection on peer feedback.

In this proposal, I describe my ongoing work to use interactive learning techniques to address these challenges of peer feedback systems. Interactive learning techniques ask students to generate novel learning-related materials and to collaboratively engage with them, which optimizes student learning. My proposed work identifies opportunities to use interactive learning techniques to improve the peer feedback process. This proposal builds on preliminary research where I articulated a theoretical framework for in-class peer feedback activities, developed a novel system for in-class peer feedback, and analyzed its impact on the feedback provided. I will examine how interactive learning activities before and after in-class peer feedback exchange impact peer feedback quality, the perceived value of peer feedback, and both student and instructor attitudes towards the peer feedback process.