Peer assessment in tertiary level singing: changing and shaping culture through social interaction

In 2008, peer assessment was introduced into the singing component of a tertiary level undergraduate creative arts performance course within an Australian regional university. The study investigated what effect changing the role of the actor/singer in an assessment has on the culture of the course as well as individual development of graduate qualities, such as critical thinking and responsibility. It also looked at what process was involved in order to integrate peer assessment into the subject, and what kind of support was needed to achieve this. Results suggested that students saw themselves as agents of their own assessment activities by taking control of assessment, and that having to think critically about other student performances made them reflect on how effective their own performances were.