Collaborative learning and peer assessment to enhance student performance

Formal laboratory reports have been used successfully in engineering technology courses for the dual purpose of integrating the concepts learned in class into a coherent disciplined knowledge structure and integrating communication skills into the curriculum. Such dual integration is necessary as prospective employers increasingly demand a more comprehensive understanding of the engineering technology discipline and improved levels of communication skills from graduates. However, the benefits of such dual integration can he substantially improved through application of peer review and other collaborative techniques. Implementation of the team laboratory report, as opposed to individual efforts, promotes greater retention of course content, results in superior academic performance, engenders more precise attention to writing performance, and increases motivation to improve writing skills. This paper briefly describes the theoretical framework for the team laboratory report, outlines the methods employed for using cooperative, team-based learning, and provides specific strategies that have proven helpful when implementing these methods. Implementation results of this approach are also presented.