Report of the Development of OPEL

Report of the Development of OPEL (On-line Peer Evaluation & Learning) Author FANG-YEUNG Wai Mei Department Communications Studies -- Digital Graphic Communications, School of Communication Abstract This pilot study reported the creation process and preliminary findings of an on-line peer evaluation platform for communication students taking visual based subjects. OPEL (On- line Peer Evaluation & Learning) was created as a web based platform that consisted of a dynamic database of selective student assignment work examples and their evaluations on each other’s work. The goal of the project was to investigate if OPEL would enhance learning for students in design communication courses that required them to value function over form. Evidence and observation of this study showed students found the OPEL experience to evaluate each other’s work to be both enjoyable and inspiring. Introduction In the fall semester of 2003, I taught a fundamental graphic communication course to a class of

80 first year communication students who were not necessarily all majoring in graphic communication. That course was designed to focus both in theory and practice; therefore, it was not just a passive appreciation class but an active class that demanded students to create original solutions for design problems. Even though students could use a variety of tools in the conceptualization process, the execution process would mostly involve using the computer to output their work. Very quickly, I was faced with the following learning and teaching challenges in this course: • Since my design course required original or authentic output for design problems that simulated real world situations, I rarely had model answers for the problems. Students would either have to rely on the instructor’s critique or to study each other’s solution in class. This would have required significant amount of class time. • On the one hand, the instructor due to control of class time would mostly carry out exemplifying students’ solutions or professional examples in class but on the other hand it was not conducive for active two-way class participation. • Students tend to be reticent in class, especially in a big class, because they would feel pressured for...

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