The Benefits of Collaborative Learning Method
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discussions and arguments with their peers. Dooly 2008 states that students are encouraged to think critically by engaging in discussions and taking responsibility
for their learning, and the opportunities are available in peer involvement which involves the students in discussions in the learning process. Peer involvement also
gives divergent perspectives which help the students in evaluating their arguments and building strong arguments on it. Divergent perspectives and free discussions
are important elements to encourage students to think critically in the classroom Slavin, 2012, and those elements are supported in peer involvement.
2 Peer Assessment
Peer assessment is a part of learner-centred and collaborative education, where the students are given the opportunity to do the language learning
assessment themselves. It is derived from self assessment where students monitor their own learning process and performance as a successful learner. Brown 2004
states: Most successful learners extend the learning of process well beyond the
classroom and the presence of teacher or tutor, autonomously mastering the art of self assessment. Where peers are available to render assessments, the
advantage of such additional input is obvious p.270.
There are two principles in peer assessment: the principle of autonomy and the principle of cooperative learning. The principle of autonomy stands on
students’ abilities and autonomy as an independent learner. The abilities refer to setting one’s own learning goals, pursuing the goals without the presence of an
external prod, and independently monitoring that pursuit Brown, 2004. The principle of cooperative learning is where the students do peer-assessment
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collaboratively with the benefits of collaborative learning. The advantages of collaborative learning are often neglected in teaching-learning process; peer
assessment is one of many options of techniques and procedures in learner-centred collaborative learning which bring the advantages of collaborative learning to the
learners Brown, 2004. There are five types of peer assessment: assessment of a specific
performance, indirect assessment of general competence, meta-cognitive assessment for setting goals, socio-affective assessment, and student-generated test
Brown, 2004. The research uses assessment of a specific performance in assessing students’ writing performance. Students assess each other on written
performance by using a scoring rubric which is very suitable to use in performance assessment. Slavin 2012 states, “Performance assessments are typically scored
according to rubrics that specify in advance the type of performance that is expected for each activity” p.433. Peer editing is also conducted by students in
peer assessment to give feedback to their peers. Peer assessment gives students opportunity to practice critical and
analytical thinking to improve their critical thinking skills. Meyers 1986 states: Students will develop good critical thinking skills only by being challenged
to practice critical and analytical thinking in the context of all the different subjects they study p.5.
Students can practice analytical thinking by assessing their peers, pa
rticularly in analyzing their peers’ critical writing which help them to improve their critical thinking. Peer assessment also brings the advantages of collaborative