Applying Peer Assessment in a Human-Computer Interaction Course Following a Project-Based Learning Approach

Peer assessment is the approach where learners evaluate peers with a similar degree of knowledge. The literature provides many examples of the benefits the process offers for both the student and the teacher. LearnEval is a comprehensive peer assessment platform that we designed and implemented and which has been applied at the University of Craiova starting with 2018–2019 academic year, supporting hundreds of students to improve their higher order thinking skills. Project-based learning is an educational method where students learn by working on tasks associated with complex projects over a longer period of time. In the current paper we explore the use of peer assessment in conjunction with project-based learning in a Human-Computer Interaction course, with the support of LearnEval platform. The project theme was the development and evaluation of the user interface for a web application on a topic chosen by the student, with four intermediary presentations throughout the semester. The paper describes the instructional approach, based on the integration of peer assessment and project-based learning, and explores students' and teachers' experience with the learning process.