Abstract:

Peer feedback is an important component of active and student-centered learning in higher education, especially in online learning environments where written communication plays a central role. The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of peer feedback provided by students in the Introduction to Educational Psychology course in 2024/2025, and to identify which elements of quality feedback are present in their notes and which factors predict a higher level of feedback competence.

The data set consists of 258 written comments submitted by 115 students. All comments were analyzed using a structured coding scheme focused on three areas: the type of feedback given, the extent to which task criteria or theoretical concepts were applied, and the presence of key elements of quality feedback, such as justification, constructiveness, suggestions for improvement, and reflection. Each comment was assigned a feedback competence index based on the number of elements expressed.

The descriptive data show that students often made supportive, constructive, and thoughtfully reasoned comments, with an average feedback competence index of nearly three elements per comment. Longer comments and those that included theoretical concepts demonstrated a higher level of feedback competence. The regression model confirmed that comment length, use of theory, and the number of different types of feedback significantly predict higher comment quality. Cluster analysis identified three distinct student profiles: minimal commenters, detailed commenters who do not use theory, and highly analytical commenters who combine theoretical thinking with concrete suggestions.

The findings indicate that peer feedback can be an important learning activity that fosters the development of evaluative judgment, reflective thinking, and academic communication skills in online higher education. The results highlight the importance of guiding students to apply conceptual knowledge when formulating feedback and suggest that structured peer commenting activities can significantly contribute to the development of essential academic competencies.

Keywords:

Assessment literacy, peer feedback, online learning, higher education.