CPRTM: Adopting An Out-Of-Discipline Innovation

Abstract

Calibrated Peer Review™ (CPR) is a web-based instructional tool that encourages “writing gain for students” without adding “grading pain for the instructor!” The use of CPR provides students frequent opportunities to hone both writing as well as peer review skills in a guided environment. And once an assignment is authored, instructors have little to do beside monitor progress and arbitrate possible grading complaints! The four phase process of the Calibrated Peer Review™ reinforces learning of the content material and provides immediate assessment feedback. Students access the assignment by logging into CPR. Phase one involves the preparation and submission of the student’s text response to the writing assignment. During phase two the student evaluates three instructor written calibrations (high quality, mid quality and low quality) of the same assignment using pre-specified rubrics assessing content and style. An unsuccessful outcome prompts a return to the calibrations and a retry. A successful outcome moves the student forward into phase three. The software randomly selects three anonymous peer assignments. Using the same evaluation criteria the student assesses each assignment. At phase four, the student is presented his/her own assignment for self-review. Time limits at each phase insure timely completion of the assignment in full. The CPR tool provides immediate feedback on student performance at each phase. At the conclusion the CPR tool produces a complete set of results corresponding to performance at each phase; a score for the text entry, a score for the three calibrations, a score for the three peer reviews, a self-assessment score and concluding overall score. To bypass problems commonly associated with students reviewing student work, CPR has built in a set of “weighting” factors based on standard deviations which are reflected in the student’s own scores. Given its discipline-independent nature, Calibrated Peer Review™ makes an excellent instructional management tool to encourage students to read for content, master the content, write-to-learn, as well as, critically review writing.