Practicing Peer Assessment: An Approach to Develop 21st Century Skills

The past decade has been witnessing robust changes in Engineering Education (EE), especially in India in terms of students' learning outcomes, assessment strategies, evaluation pattern, students' success and their failures supported with evidences. The present paper examines the effectiveness of peer review as an important assessment tool for enhancing the engagement of the learner in the learning process focusing on the inculcation of 21st century skills, making him/her responsible and self-motivated learner. A'three layered model' has been formulated to have active involvement of the expert, the mentor and the learner (student) via interactions, instructions and guidance. As a result, the learner reflects upon the peer review done by him/her and discusses it with his/her peers by highlighting its vital role in real-life situations which enhances learner's involvement in the next peer review. It has evidently improved the quality of feedback, internalizing the feedback leading to perception and acquisition of essential required 21st century skills.