Peer Feedback for Enhancing Students’ Project Development in Online Learning

Setting The Stage

Instructor supervision and support of distance students’ practicum experiences poses multiple challenges for online university programs (Simpson, 2006). On-campus teacher education programs typically include a practica where students collaborate with a teacher or expert in their practice while simultaneously mentored by an instructor in the program. Regular meetings between these three stakeholders (the student, the collaborator in their practice, and the instructor in the program) provide opportunities for updates, support, and advice. Face-to-face programs or courses that involve field experiences also consist of regular on-campus student meetings in order for them to share experiences, discuss issues and plan together. In the online environment, however, it is difficult to organize or replicate the face-to-face interactions that occur between the three stakeholders. Likewise, coordinating a face-to-face meeting of all students engaged in field experiences in different locations is a difficult task.