The impact of design and implementation of online peer feedback based on digital modules on the quality of essay writing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the design and implementation of online peer feedback strategies based on digital modules on the quality of essay writing. This study used a quasi-experimental method involving 200 junior high school students and 200 vocational high school students. To analyze the data, the one-way MANCOVA test, two-way MANCOVA test, and one-way MANCOVA test were employed. The results show that the digital online peer feedback module helped students write better argumentative essays and learn how to provide insightful criticism. The improvement in the quality of students' argumentative essays is evident in the introduction, position determination, arguments for the position, evidence or facts to support the position argument, arguments against the position, supporting arguments against the position, responses to counterarguments, and conclusions. Thus, online peer feedback strategies based on digital modules can improve essay writing skills because they focus on argumentative essay structure and content, so they can be used at various levels and subject areas. This study implies that online scaffolding in the form of digital modules must focus on the framework of text structure because knowledge and use of text structure can be transferred to students with different levels and domains of knowledge.