Abstract:

An important aspect of the elearning landscape is to provide a well-planned OCL (online collaborative learning) environment that supports the formation of an evolving learning community of practice (Levinsen, 2006; Bullen, 1998). Powers & Guan (2000) suggested that the future of online learning spaces needed to include an emphasis on improving the outcome of OCL, with prominence being placed on the design of these elearning environments as well as the establishment of clear roles for both the instructor and the student within the virtual learning platform. Weinberger, Ertl, Fischer & Mandl (2005) recommended that emphasis should also have been placed on the importance of support and effective coordination of the collaborative learning process within the elearning environment through the provision of ‘scaffolding’ of thoughts and ideas. There have been many studies on the usefulness of peer review in higher education particularly for facilitating OCL (Carlson & Berry, 2003; Raadt, Toleman, & Watson, 2005). Including Brunk-Chavez and Miller (2006) that has suggested that collaborative learning could empower the student and “encourages exploratory talk” (p.5) between students as they explore their learning and conduct their research. Through the utilization of Blackboard 9 learning management system, visual learning objects were developed to assist predominately visual learners to assess both their writing and their peers while working through the stages of writing a 10,000 word research paper in one University Semester time-frame. This paper will discuss how online self and peer review was utilized as an authentic assessment practice to teach Postgraduate students how to write a research paper on Art Administration.

Keywords:

Peer review, Authentic assessment, Assessment for learning, Teaching Postgraduate research and writing skills, Scaffolded learning.