Peer - feedback for Improving English Writing in Higher Education

Abstract

This action research proposes peer feedback as a viable strategy for improving university students’ advanced (B1 - B2) writing skills. Its potential was tested during a university writing course of sixteen weeks offered at a private university in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Both quantitative and qualitative instruments were used to determine if sixty freshman university students would improve writing skill in structure, fluency, and accuracy through a pedagogical innovation that included a rubric for guiding the feedback sessions. Results were measured by these instruments: a pretest and a posttest; followed by an open survey on students’ perceptions towards writing and their experience during the peer feedback sessions for improving this skill. The main results show students improved their own writing at a Cohen’s d of 0.39, moderate improvement achieved after five peer feedback sessions. Students’ views reported difficulties when they wrote in English and participated in the sessions; nevertheless, they regarded this strategy as beneficial for improving writing. Any teacher or researcher interested in knowing about peer feedback strategies for academic writing should read this article. It is also intended for institutions looking to implement pedagogical innovations that help students awaken their writing potential for higher education.