This summer, Noël Ingram (Digital Teaching Programs Administrator), Doreen Richards (Learning Design Consultant), and I facilitated a faculty working group, “Unlocking the Power of Peer Learning.” In this group, ten faculty members explored how to best incorporate peer feedback into their teaching practice. In light of the rapid expansion of Generative AI programs that have disrupted higher education, the working group discussed ways to use peer feedback as a mechanism for building relationships in the classroom, creating learning experiences that Generative AI cannot replicate. 

Working Group Format

Over the course of four sessions, group members considered various technological platforms and assignment structures to produce the best learning experiences possible for their students. Initially, faculty experimented with a collaborative learning tool, Feedback Fruits, tailoring their existing assessments and syllabi to promote effective peer feedback practices. Given the diverse range of disciplines represented in the group, the specific needs of faculty varied significantly. While some faculty were interested in using peer feedback on assignments such as essays, others were excited to use it on assignments like presentations or group work. Many participants also turned to platforms for assistance, such as Perusall, or sought to use Canvas itself in innovative ways. 

The sessions were structured so that the faculty members themselves engaged with best practices for peer feedback, sharing their work and providing feedback within the group, often through the same platforms they planned to implement in their courses.  Participants collaborated to solve problems and inspired one another to continue experimenting with their assignments, reminding each other of the benefits of peer feedback. 

Next Steps

As summer comes to a close and we transition to fall, the working group is finalizing their prototypes for implementation into their courses. As one of the facilitators of this group, I am truly excited to see what they have created.

These dedicated faculty will also be sharing their results and thoughts with the broader community through the CDIL blog. Stay tuned for more content on the potential of peer feedback. 

Faculty Member Participants

• Michelle Brooks: Assistant Director for the Boston College Prison Education Program, Woods College
• Patty Raube Keller: Program Director, M.S. in Sports Administration, Woods College
• Tristan Johnson: Associate Dean, Graduate Programs, Woods College
• Arvind Sharma: Assistant Professor of the Practice in Applied Economics, Woods College
• Erin Sheehy: Part-time Faculty, M.S. in Leadership Program, Woods College
• Jeannine Robbins-Murphy: Part-Time Faculty, Master of Healthcare Administration Program, Woods College
• Marty Whalen: Part-time Faculty, Business and Communications, Bachelor of Arts Program, Woods College
• Josh Seim: Assistant Professor, Sociology, MCAS
• Tara Pisani Gareau: Professor of the Practice; Director, Environmental Studies Program, MCAS
• Anne Pluto: Part-time Faculty, Bachelor of Arts Program, English and Fine Arts, Woods College