The Positives of Peer Review
Peer review. Two of the most dreaded words in an educational setting at any age or any stage. From our early experiences in grade school, to our high school years, and even now as an adult student in a graduate program, the apprehension and anxiety still feels the same. As human beings, why do we worry so much about what other people think? I’m not sure I have an answer for that question, but one thing is certain, we have all been there at some point.
When faced with the task of presenting my ePortfolio to a group of professionals with varying degrees of technology proficiency, I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be, and it was pretty nerve-racking. Would I find that the fruit of my labors was a disaster? Is my technology skill set strong enough to help me hold my own for the remainder of the program? These questions and many more were at the front of my mind.
Much to my surprise, the process proved to be beneficial for me in so many ways. First of all, I found that my classmates made many encouraging and positive comments about my last nine weeks of effort. I read nice things about my design, the tools I selected, and the quality of my writing. What a relief to know some of the choices I made while creating both my site and evidence of learning artifacts were well-received, and it was enjoyable to receive some recognition.
In addition to the excellent feedback received, the recommendations for adjustments I needed to make helped me to give the site a much-needed pop on certain pages. For example, one person suggested I add more links to outside sources within the site, and I chose to include those links in my “about me” section. Now when you browse the page, you are able to visit my classroom site, the links for both of my colleges, and a link for more information about one of my hobbies. I love the way the inclusion of those links made my site feel more personal and helped to give readers a connection to my background and experiences.
Another benefit of participating in peer review was the exposure to other students’ pages. While viewing the products produced by fellow classmates, I was able to rate my own technology competence as well as gain some ideas for future improvements I would like to make to my own ePortfolio. I now have so many ideas I would like to implement, but unfortunately there are too many to add them all by the end of the course. I’m glad the portfolio will be a continual work in progress from this point forward.
Despite my initial dread, the peer review process proved to be a rewarding experience. I learned a great deal about myself, my classmates, and the direction I want to move in as I continue to progress through the program. I look forward to more interaction with my cohort members as we develop our technology leadership skills together.
