You get what you give – Reciprocal Peer Review in a Chemistry Assignment using a VLE to promote insightful feedback

Reciprocal peer review was incorporated into a group chemistry assignment on a second-year undergraduate applied biology course and carried out using a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The assignment required students to work in groups and explain the properties and uses of specific biomolecules in terms of their chemistry. A reciprocal peer review halfway through the assignment allowed students to share feedback on each other’s work. The resultant student-generated feedback comments, along with student interview data, were evaluated to see if there were any benefits or challenges in conducting a reciprocal peer review through a VLE. In general, students were positive toward the peer review process and appreciated the benefits of both giving and receiving formative feedback within the assignment. Conducting peer review in a VLE offered them a degree of anonymity that encouraged free and open exchange of critical feedback in a supportive environment, leading to the sharing of insightful feedback between students.