Abstract:

In-depth understanding and knowledge of a course respectively a particular subject matter as well as analytical thinking are vital for generating questions for exams or tests. This also applies for students being involved in such tasks. Through the creation of questions and corresponding meaningful answers - integrated in an online learning process – students have to understand, deepen and structure knowledge on different levels. By means of answering and commenting the questions of fellow students, the learners repeat the course content and help other students with their feedback. Peer learning supports students to learn from each other and at best resulting in deep learning. Reflecting on a topic by creating questions, answering the ones from classmates and giving feedback can be some advantages of a peer learning scenario.

In the current paper we show in which way we accelerated peer learning in an “IT-Law” course. Hereby, students had to create questions in way of an online quiz within our “Moodle” learning platform. The students concerned are studying in the scope of a blended learning programme at the Faculty of Social Science, Business and Economics at an Austrian University and are able to learn independently of time and place. Therefore especially students who have to work or take care of children profit from such offers. Flexible time management is very important especially for those students, which is why a blended learning setting was chosen and the learners had to create and comment the questions online.

In order to facilitate peer and group learning, students where divided into groups according to the chapters of the different learning topics, had to create questions in these groups and to pose the questions into a special plugin (activity) called “StudentQuiz” in Moodle. In further consequence, they were required to test, comment and rate the issues of their fellow students. On the one hand the intention was that students should consolidate their newly acquired knowledge by creating questions and answers by themselves and on the other hand they should repeat the whole content by learning and testing the exam questions. Our aim was to support peer learning and to encourage students raising critical questions and to giving useful feedback.

To evaluate the outcome of this pilot study, we analysed a written questionnaire (all students taking part in this course (n=30)), which is presented in this paper.

Keywords:

e-learning, peer learning, blended learning, peer assessement.