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Session 2630 Web Based Forms for Design Team Peer Evaluations

Elizabeth A. Eschenbach1 and Marc A. Mesmer2 Humboldt State University

Abstract This paper describes the use of web based forms for a peer review process used in teaching ENGR 111: Introduction to Design and is a follow up of work reported at the 1997 ASEE meeting: Using Peer Evaluations for Design Team Effectiveness. The paper describes the functionality of the web based software and provides examples of web based peer evaluations forms, as well a summary of the training students receive on how to write a good peer evaluation. Results from a survey of students using the peer evaluation process and a summary of how both students and instructor benefit from the peer evaluation process are described. This paper differs from the work reported in 1997 in two ways. 1) This year is the first year that web based forms were used in the peer evaluation process and this paper reports implementation of the peer review web pages. 2) The results of peer evaluation surveys were not reported in the previous paper. About 50 % of the students say that they are uncomfortable writing the evaluations, but over 90 % said that the course should continue to have peer evaluations. Some students said that they wished their other team based courses used peer evaluations. For those interested in using web based forms for peer evaluation, a copy of the code can be down loaded from http://www.humboldt.edu/~cdc/peerrev/AboutPeerRev.html.

Course Overview: ENGR 111, Introduction To Design Humboldt State University has one of the oldest and largest accredited programs in environmental engineering in the country. The Environmental Resources Engineering Department was accredited in the 1970Õs and currently has about 270 majors. Students work in teams throughout the curriculum of the ERE major. All ERE majors are required to take ENGR 111 Introduction to Design, which has no prerequisites, and provides an introduction to the types of 3 skills that students need to be successful in the major . Students are introduced to the design process, by being part of a 3-5 member team that completes a 10 week design project. In addition to introducing the design process, the course develops studentsÕ computing skills and communication skills, with an emphasis on team work and writing. During the first 4 weeks of the semester, an hour a week is spent on team building skills. A description of the labs for building team work skills can be found in [2]. During the fifth week of the semester, the design project and the design teams are assigned.

Three weeks into the project, each student is required to fill out a form, evaluating the strengths and possible areas for improvement for the team and all team members (including him or herself). The student and the instructor have a 15 minute conference to review the studentÕs team evaluation. The student and the instructor discuss ways to improve team productivity. The instructor gives the student suggestions on how to write a more professional evaluation. Many

1 Assistant Professor, Environmental Resources Engineering 2 Senior Programmer, Courseware Development Center 3 For a more complete description of the ERE program and the course, please refer to [1].

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Mesmer, M. A., & Eschenbach, E. A. (1998, June), Web Based Forms For Design Team Peer Evaluations Paper presented at 1998 Annual Conference, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/1-2--7525