Postgraduate student’s perception of using peer review as a pedagogical tool

Abstract

Peer review is a widely used pedagogical tool in higher education. It involves students providing feedback for their peers’ work, thus contributing to the assessment process alongside or instead of instructors to improve the overall quality of the final output. The purpose of this study is to explore postgraduate student nurses’ experiences of using peer review as a pedagogical tool. The paper aims to: (1) examine the perception of postgraduate students in using peer review, and (2) determine the benefits & challenges of using peer review. A phenomenological approach with a descriptive study design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analysed using thematic analysis to capture the participants’ lived experiences. The analysis revealed peer review was unanimously perceived as a beneficial pedagogical tool that enhanced the learning. Three major themes emerged: (1) implementation preferences, (2) increased engagement enhancing learning, and (3) concerns in navigating feedback. The study findings concluded that peer review is a collaborative learning strategy that empowers, motivates, and fosters active learning. Students perceived peer review to have a positive impact on their learning and as a tool that assists in improving their final output. Further research is needed to explore specific strategies and their impact on peer review and student outcomes.