Enhancing Learning Through Peer Feedback at the Program Level

Abstract

Assessment for learning highlights the value of formative feedback in supporting student progress and achievement. Peer feedback, in particular, provides students with opportunities to engage in giving and receiving feedback on ungraded work; it helps them clarify expectations, improve their work, and ultimately achieve higher grades (Bloxham and Boyd 2007). Recent research also emphasises the relational and dialogic nature of feedback, where active participation in feedback processes can foster deeper understanding, motivation, and confidence (Carless and Boud 2018; Nicol 2021; Williams 2024).

This study explores undergraduate student expectations and experiences of peer feedback in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University. Using a survey-based questionnaire, we collected quantitative and qualitative data from students at the end of their first and third years (surveyed in 2020 and again in 2022). The research addresses two main questions:

1. Does increased engagement with peer feedback over the course of a degree lead to greater student confidence and valuing of the process?
2. Can improved guidance at Level 1 enhance students’ engagement with and perceived value of peer feedback?

Our findings show a clear programme-level impact: by their third year, students recognise the skills developed through peer feedback, value the process, and are more willing to participate in peer feedback activities. Enhanced guidance for first-year students led to increased confidence in providing effective feedback, identifying high-quality work, and understanding marking criteria. However, some students remain hesitant to trust peer feedback, instead continuing to place greater value on feedback from staff.

At Durham University, peer feedback is becoming an integral part of assessment for learning, helping students to engage more deeply with formative tasks and improve their academic performance. We hope these findings will support colleagues as they embed peer feedback practices and communicate their value to students.

The Durham University’s ethical review board provided ethical approval for this research.