Abstract:

The use of peer review in first-year university students enrolled in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) degrees emerges as an ever-evolving educational strategy. This approach is justified not only by its solid theoretical foundation, but also by its capacity to foster critical evaluation skills among students. In the STEM university context, peer review offers tangible benefits. This innovative learning strategy entails the assessment of peers' work by individuals possessing similar levels of knowledge and expertise, thereby promoting critical evaluation abilities, the capacity to provide constructive feedback, teamwork competencies, and the cultivation of a deeper understanding of concepts. The literature substantiates its academic validity, emphasizing its utility in criterion-based assessment and its ability to reflect instructors' evaluations. Moreover, its implementation has been observed to not only enhance the work quality, but also yield a positive impact on the learning process, improving collaboration and critical comprehension.

This study explores the impact of employing peer review as an educational tool in first-year courses within the Degree of Electrical Engineering at the University of Málaga, defining specific rubrics and ensuring non-influence on students' final grades. The findings indicate a positive evaluation from students, with averages reflecting a favorable perception of the quality of work produced. Consistency in evaluations is observed, though with some variability among students. This variability suggests differences in understanding and content presentation. Factors such as the presentation clarity and ability of explaining technical content influence the perception of work quality.

In conclusion, the use of peer review in STEM courses demonstrates promising outcomes in terms of work quality and the learning process. This approach will continue to be a subject of research and development in the pursuit of best practices for teaching and assessment in STEM disciplines. Finally, all the so-far available results in relation to the execution of this ITP, will be presented and analyzed in greater detail.

Keywords:

Peer review, Evaluation, Learning, Electrical Engineering.