Self and peer marking in an undergraduate engineering course

A method of incorporating self and peer marking in an undergraduate electronics subject is described and discussed. Similar methods could probably be used in other technical subjects. Its educational benefits are: greatly improved feedback to the students, additional reinforcement, and practice at self assessment. The method described has a high degree of student acceptance, and appears to produce reliable and valid marks. It can be incorporated into conventionally taught courses without disrupting teaching. The use of self and peer assessment in an isolated subject requires a great deal of attention to the details of the procedure, especially if it is to be part of the formal assessment in the subject. The procedure developed here requires the preparation of detailed model solutions and an extensive clerical procedure, but alternatives with a simpler clerical process are also possible. The nature and amount of the examination load on faculty is different when self and peer marking is used. For small classes it involves more work for faculty, but for large classes it reduces the work load. It is one of the few educational innovations that can do this, and at the same time have educational benefits.