Reading text

Peer Feedback

Mechanism: students can provide constructive feedback to their classmates on assignments, projects, or forum posts. This activity can be done using LMS peer review tools, shared documents, or dedicated platforms.

Value: develops critical thinking, analytical skills, and empathy. Offers diverse perspectives on content and teaches effective feedback delivery. Peer feedback can sometimes be more immediate and understandable than that of a mentor.

Implementation Methods:

Structured Rubrics / Guiding Questions: provide clear rubrics or guiding questions to make feedback targeted and consistent with learning objectives.

Examples: "Does the introduction clearly state the main point?", "What is the strength of this paragraph?", "What part could be clarified better?"

Training and Modeling: offer short training activities on how to give and receive effective feedback, emphasizing a constructive, specific, and supportive tone. Mentors can demonstrate examples of good feedback.

Anonymity (optional): mentors will have to decide whether feedback will be anonymous or attributed, depending on the topic and the level of psychological safety of the group.

Scientific references: scientific research has confirmed the benefits of peer feedback in improving learning and self-regulation.

Reflective Journals / Learning Logs

Mechanism: learners regularly write or record reflections (for example text, audio, video) on their learning experiences, challenges, insights, and connections between concepts. These can be private (between mentor and student) or shared between mentor and small group of students.

Value: promotes metacognition, awareness, and critical reflection on one's own online learning journey. It helps identify strengths and weaknesses, monitor growth, and plan next steps. It also offers mentors a window into students' difficulties.

Implementation Method:

Clear Prompts: Provide specific reflection prompts.

Examples: "What was the most difficult concept this week and why?", "How does this module relate to your personal experience?", "What new questions emerged after reading?", "Describe a lightbulb moment you experienced this week."

Low Evaluation Impact: make clear that the journal is a tool for personal growth and not a formal assessment. Feedback can be qualitative, focusing on the depth of reflection.

Frequency and Format: encourage short, regular contributions (e.g., weekly), and allow for flexibility in format (text, audio, video).

Self-Assessment Criteria

Mechanism: students use the same assessment criteria as their mentors to review their work before submission or to guide revision.

Value: clarifies assessment rules, fosters understanding of quality standards, and allows students to independently identify areas for improvement. It encourages self-correction and the development of critical thinking.

Implementation Methods:

Shared Rubrics: ensure students have access to the rubric from the beginning of the assignment or module.

Co-creation (optional but powerful): where possible, involve students in defining assessment criteria to increase their understanding and sense of responsibility. For example, ask them what makes a piece of work "good."

Guiding Questions for Self-Assessment: provide a framework to guide students through the process.

Examples: "Based on this rubric, what score would you give yourself for each criterion and why? Provide concrete examples." "What changes will you make based on your self-assessment?"

Pre-submission checklist: simplify the rubric criteria into a checklist that students can use before submitting.

Action points and best practices for mentors

Model reflection: share personal reflections on your learning, difficulties encountered, or how you address mistakes. Standardize reflection as an integral part of the educational process.

Provide feedback on feedback: when students practice self- or peer-assessment, provide feedback on the quality of these processes.

Examples: "Your feedback to your colleague was very specific and helpful," "Try adding concrete examples to your self-assessment."

Integrate reflection strategically: ensure that reflective activities are an integral part of the learning process and contribute to learning objectives, rather than simply being "add-ons."

Value growth, not just results: recognize students' commitment to self-assessment, receiving feedback, and continually improving, not just the final grade.