The competency-based approach (CBA) and peer assessment are two educational trends that are gaining ground in higher education. Although distinct, these approaches present interesting synergies, particularly when it comes to tackling the challenges of assessment in PCA. Let's take a look at how peer assessment can support and enrich the implementation of the competency-based approach.
Definitions and issues
The skills-based approach
The competency-based approach aims to develop students' complex know-how, mobilizing and combining internal resources (knowledge, skills, attitudes) and external resources to successfully deal with authentic situations. It involves :
- Define the skills targeted by the training
- Design authentic learning and assessment situations
- Assessing the progress of skills development
Peer review
Peer assessment is defined as "an arrangement for learners to consider and specify the level, value or quality of a product or performance of other learners of equal status". It can relate to work or to contributions within a group.
The challenges of evaluation in APC
Skills assessment poses a number of challenges:
- Assessing complex know-how rather than isolated knowledge
- Assessing long-term progress
- Involving students in their evaluation
- Managing the subjectivity inherent in evaluative judgment
Peer review can help meet these challenges in several ways:
1. Multiplying evaluative perspectives
By involving peers, we multiply the points of view on the student's performance, enabling a richer, more nuanced appreciation of skills.
2. Developing evaluative judgment
By evaluating their peers, students develop their ability to make evaluative judgments, an essential skill in many professional fields.
3. Promoting metacognition
Peer assessment encourages students to reflect on their own learning and performance, thus developing their metacognitive skills.
4. Support active learning
This approach places the student in an active role, in line with the principles of APC, which aim to make the learner the actor in his or her own training.
Concrete examples
Here are a few examples of how peer assessment can be used in a PCA:
Evaluation of written work
At the University of Montpellier, as part of the Pair'sEval project, students evaluate the work of their peers using a criterion-based grid aligned with the targeted skills. This approach enables students to better understand expectations and develop their capacity for critical analysis.
Assessment of contribution to a group project
In a project management course, students evaluate each other's contribution to teamwork. This enables them to assess cross-disciplinary skills such as collaboration and communication, which are essential in a PCA.
Co-construction of evaluation criteria
Students participate in the development of evaluation criteria for an oral presentation. This process helps them to better understand the components of the "oral communication" competency and to appropriate the evaluation criteria.
Conclusion
Peer assessment is a valuable complement to the competency-based approach. It helps to meet some of the challenges of competency assessment, while developing essential cross-disciplinary skills. However, its implementation requires careful preparation, in particular to train students in assessment and guarantee the quality of the process. Used wisely, it can greatly enrich assessment systems as part of a competency-based approach.
References
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Scallon, G. (2004). L'évaluation des apprentissages dans une approche par compétences. Bruxelles : De Boeck.
Falchikov, N., & Goldfinch, J. (2000). Student Peer Assessment in Higher Education: A Meta-Analysis Comparing Peer and Teacher Marks. Review of Educational Research, 70(3), 287-322.
Tai, J., Ajjawi, R., Boud, D., Dawson, P., & Panadero, E. (2018). Developing evaluative judgement: enabling students to make decisions about the quality of work. Higher Education, 76(3), 467-481
Nicol, D., Thomson, A., & Breslin, C. (2014). Rethinking feedback practices in higher education: a peer review perspective. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 39(1), 102-122
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university: What the student does. McGraw-hill education (UK).
University of Montpellier. (2024). Projet Pair'sEval : Guide enseignants.
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