Baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of peer assessment of individual contributions to a group project: A case study

SummaryA group project is a common method of assessment in higher education worldwide. The use of an adjunct peer assessment (PA) scheme as a means to award marks for individual student contributions to a group project has increased. However, nursing students' perceptions of PA have not been well studied. This paper examines baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of PA in assessing individual contributions to a group project. Using a case study design with both quantitative (an anonymous survey with 123 students), and qualitative methods (six focus group interviews with 21 students), data were collected from students in a baccalaureate nursing programme. Merging of quantitative and qualitative findings indicated that students overall had positive perceptions of PA, especially its ability to reduce ‘free-riding’. However, students also had some interpersonal and operational concerns about the PA implementation process. Based on the findings, we recommend: (1) further developing students' abilities to assess the contributions of others to the task and relationship functions in group work; and (2) adopting a confidential online system for submission of PA forms.