Use of Peer-Assessment in Problem-Based Learning Projects in a Civil Engineering Programme

This paper describes the use of student peerassessment in a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Civil Engineering programme in Ireland. The theory, rationale and implementation of peer-assessment in the context of engineering education are briefly reviewed. Its use to assess process performance in the Civil Engineering programme at the University of Limerick (CIVIL @ UL) is described. The results of peer-assessments from PBL “triggers” from Year Two of the programme are examined in detail and discussed. Correlational analyses are used to test student peerassessment of performance within the PBL group process as predictors of overall performance in a module. Overall performance is represented by the marks from tutor-assessed submissions, individual interviews and presentations forming part of the output from the PBL trigger in question. Qualitative aspects of the data are also discussed. The paper concludes with some proposals for further development; in particular, the Introduction of a self-assessment element and the provision of feedback on peer-assessment submissions.