Students' learning is often assessed through exam questions - but can students learn by creating their own "exam questions" and practicing on questions created by their peers? This project investigates the benefits offered by PeerWise, a collaborative web-based tool for developing students' learning through a shared repository of course-specific, student-generated multiple choice questions. In a course using PeerWise, students regularly reflect asking themselves, "What is it I really need to know from this week's material? How might the professor test me on this?" They then construct and submit a multiple choice-style question on the PeerWise website, creating appropriate distracter answers, writing an explanation in their own words, and tagging the question with relevant topic terms. They also "practice" by taking questions submitted by other students. After answering a question, students can see how their peers answered the question (e.g. 25% said A), rate that question, and write a comment on it that is visible to the author of the question and their peers.
This project explores the potential of PeerWise in 18 computer science classes with 9 different instructors, impacting approximately 900 students at multiple institutions. Three key issues drive an interest in studying PeerWise use in computing courses: (1)A preliminary study in a CS1 course at the University of Auckland has shown a positive correlation between final exam score and activity level on the PeerWise system; (2)PeerWise supports a student-centered learning environment; and (3) Adoption of PeerWise places little burden on the course instructor, and yet creates and supports content that is closely aligned to course-specific learning outcomes.
Through the process of question writing, students are actively engaged in meta-cognitive activities (considering what they know, or need to know) and, through explanation writing targeted at their peers, a form of tutoring. By answering the questions written by their peers, students can perform self-assessment and can engage in peer review - in rating and commenting on peers' questions.
