EFFECTS OF PEER FEEDBACK AND SELF-FEEDBACK ON STUDENT LEARNING IN ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE DISCUSSIONS

Feedback plays an important role in the learning process. Peer feedback and self-feedback have become popular as two dominant feedback activities in online learning environments due to their efficiency and feasibility. However, previous studies have yielded inconsistent findings regarding their effectiveness, making it necessary to determine which feedback method is more effective in online learning environments. In this mixed methods study, the quantitative phase was conducted through a Latin square quasi-experimental design to compare the effects of peer feedback and self-feedback on students’ online learning performances in an asynchronous online discussion forum. Students’ perspectives on the two feedback activities were then collected through a 5-point Likert scale online survey. Voluntary Zoom interviews conducted during the qualitative phase were transcribed and analyzed to clarify and extend the experimental findings. Content analysis, between-subjects one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), within-subjects one-way ANOVA, paired-samples t test, and thematic analysis were conducted to analyze the data. The results showed mixed effects of different feedback types on the quantity and quality of interactions, aligning with previous studies. The effectiveness of peer feedback and self-feedback is supported by their theoretical foundations and consistent with prior research emphasizing the benefits of both types across various academic settings. This suggests that integrating both peer feedback and self-feedback into asynchronous online discussions (AODs) can enhance students’ discussion performance in terms of quantity and quality. Overall, self-feedback proved to be more effective than peer feedback. This finding highlights the importance of considering the unique characteristics of each feedback type. Self-feedback and peer feedback have different cognitive, motivational, and emotional demands for students, each offering different advantages and disadvantages that need careful evaluation. Selecting the appropriate feedback type requires awareness of these benefits and limitations. Finally, timing, student characteristics, and feedback design can all impact feedback effectiveness. Based on the differences between self-feedback and peer feedback, and the factors impacting feedback effectiveness, it can be concluded that peer feedback tends to be more effective for students who have established a collaborative learning culture and foundation, as well as for those with a strong need for peer interaction. Self-feedback is particularly effective for non-traditional students who are generally older, more experienced, and possess strong abilities for self-assessment. Both peer feedback and self-feedback are more effective when conducted at the beginning of a course or when students are familiar with class routines and ready to engage. However, when students are under a heavy workload, both peer feedback and self-feedback can lose effectiveness. In addition, both peer feedback and self-feedback are more effective for tasks that require both quantity and rigor, thorough analysis that meets high-quality standards, and additional time for the feedback’s effects to take root. However, self-feedback is less effective for tasks requiring a high volume of contributions, as it lacks the external engagement found in peer feedback and is inherently focused on depth rather than quantity. The survey results indicated that students rated self-feedback higher than peer feedback in terms of fairness, usefulness, willingness to improve, and emotions, except for acceptance and satisfaction with design features; however, these differences were not statistically significant. The interview results indicated that students recognized the significance of feedback interventions in AODs and emphasized the benefits of integrating such feedback. They also appreciated the supportive scaffolding offered prior to their participation in feedback activities. In addition, students highlighted challenges associated with these feedback activities, aligning with our emphasis on the proper consideration of timing, student characteristics, and feedback design to ensure the effectiveness of feedback. This study enhanced our understanding of feedback in AODs, offering valuable insights to instructional designers and online instructors on the design and implementation.