Peer assessment, student engagement and academic performance: a study of international students in business education

Purpose This study aims to examine whether the learning benefits attributed to peer assessment are primarily associated with receiving feedback or providing feedback to others. The study explores this in the context of international postgraduate students enrolled in a business school. Design/methodology/approach Performance data from 140 international postgraduate business students enrolled in a corporate finance course are empirically analysed by comparing receiving-side and providing-side variables generated through three rounds of peer assessment. Findings The findings highlight that the cognitive benefits of providing peer feedback may be greater than those of receiving feedback in the context of international business students. Practical implications The findings suggest that instructors need to carefully design their peer assessment activities given this context. Maximising the learning benefits of feedback received from peers may require various scaffolding mechanisms. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study provides more robust evidence than has previously been available on the pedagogical relevance of peer assessment and feedback mechanisms. It contributes to the ongoing debate on the purpose and effectiveness of peer assessment. Unlike previous studies, the study design simultaneously investigates the learning gains from receiving and providing feedback and disentangles them from general academic ability. By focusing on international postgraduate students, a group which has received limited attention in educational literature in general and peer assessment literature in particular, the study offers theoretical and pedagogical contributions to international business education.