Types of Peer Feedback Training, The Feedback Provider, and Performance: Toward a Process/Product Perspective

Abstract

Used in a variety of higher education contexts, writing peer feedback has been shown to benefit students. However, many previous studies have not focused on training students to give feedback, and an exploration of different fields of peer feedback scholarship is lacking. This novel study compared two methods of training for written peer feedback, one based on the scholarship of peer revision and the other based on writing center peer tutoring. A mixed-methods pre-essay to post-essay procedure was employed to identify the benefits of receiving training and providing feedback on the feedback provider’s writing performance and process. Concurrent think-aloud protocols and post-interviews were used to triangulate data on writing processes. Results show that neither peer feedback training significantly improved the participants’ writing performance. However, both types of training led to perceived improvements in writing and self-revision processes, with Peer Revision participants reporting awareness of style and Peer Tutoring participants reporting awareness of argument and structure. Both groups also reported experiencing increased awareness of audience/reader perspective. This study exhibits that mixed-methodological approaches expand ways of studying learning through both the writing process and the writing product.