Asynchronous Peer Review

Overview

Peer reviewing in Canvas can be done a couple of ways: you can use the discussion board or use the assignments tool and assign peer reviews through Canvas. It is recommended that you attach a rubric to the assignment.

 

Peer Review using Canvas

When you create a discussion topic that you want students to peer review each other, just make sure you include that in the discussion assignment instructions. Be sure to provide explicit detail on what they are supposed to post as their discussion assignment as well as what things to look for in their peers' posts. You are essentially teaching them how to critique and critically reflect.

  1. When you go to create an assignment scroll to the Peer Reviews option and check the box.
  2. You can then select whether you want to manually assign reviewers or let Canvas automatically assign students. You can also specify the max number of reviews a student can review.
  3. Checking the anonymity box makes students not be able to know whose work they are reviewing nor does the student see who reviewed their work.

Peer review options in Canvas

Image of the assignment tool option for peer reviews

Be sure to create a rubric for the peer review. This will help guide students in knowing what to look for when critiquing their peers.  Visit the rubrics page for more detailed information. 

 

Viewing Peer Reviews

If you want to see the status of peer review assignments and view the submissions, go to assignments and click on the assignment title. You will see the Peer Review option on the right of the screen.

Peer review

Image of assignment with peer review

 

Once you click on peer reviews, you will be able to view each students' feedback as well as rubric comments if you attached a rubric for them to use for the peer review. 

 

Best Practices

  • Choose Manually assign peer reviews if you want to select who assess who.
  • Use the anonymous option to retain student anonymity.
  • Use a rubric for students to use to review their peers' work. This teaches them what to look for by guiding them in peer reviewing.
  • Provide the opportunity for students to reflect on the feedback and discuss what they learned from the exercise. 

 

Additional Resources