Peer feedback and learning: a case study with 8th-grade Portuguese students

This research explores the contributions of peer feedback to student learning, in the context of peer assessment. The study involved a class of 20 Portuguese middle school pupils and used document analysis, interviews, and a questionnaire to collect data. Peer feedback was identified as the key factor driving improvements in pupil performance, due mainly to its key role in identifying improvement points, but also because it is viewed as more open and understandable. Lower performance pupils seemed to benefit more from peer feedback, while high-achieving pupils demonstrated a more autonomous improvement through independent work and feedback exchange, fostering analytical skills, critical thinking, and autonomy. All pupils, however, exhibited improved feedback provision, indicating the overall development of analytical skills. Oral peer feedback was viewed positively by pupils, facilitating understanding, despite concerns about potentially harming peers' work. Peer assessment emerges as a catalyst for personal development and autonomy, impacting self-regulation, motivation, responsibility, and resilience.