Buddycheck

Introduction

Students are increasingly working and learning in groups. However, teachers need a measured understanding of individual performance in group work for grading. This makes the learning process more transparent and effective. Buddycheck is a web-based app for teachers to create peer assessments in their courses. Buddycheck is available via Canvas. 

Buddycheck intro for students:

This video explains to students the benefits of group work, feedback, and the tool that brings these together: Buddycheck. 

Why Buddycheck

With the help of Buddycheck, teachers and students gain more insight into their own performance and the group process. Students fill in a questionnaire about their own performance and the performance of their peers. The standard questions are based on academic research on group dynamics. Teachers get an overview of the process and can share these results with the students as a starting point for discussion in the group. 

Student view: Buddycheck peer and self-assessment questionnaire
Student view: Examples of results

How to use Buddycheck

No software is required to use Buddycheck; Buddycheck is generally available as a Canvas plugin. Buddycheck needs to be enabled in your Canvas course. First, navigate to your Canvas course and go to the page Settings. Under the Navigation tab you can see that Buddycheck is currently disabled for your course. You can enable it by clicking ‘+ Enable’ under the options. After doing so a new button will be visible in your course navigation. By clicking on this button, you will get into the setup process.

  • Watch the tutorial videos to learn more about using Buddycheck

    TUTORIAL VIDEO: HOW TO CREATE AN EVALUATION

    TUTORIAL VIDEO: HOW TO MONITOR THE EVALUATION

    TUTORIAL VIDEO: COMPLETING AN EVALUATION (STUDENT

    TUTORIAL VIDEO: Grading with Buddycheck

    TUTORIAL VIDEO:  Buddycheck for advanced users

Didactical implementation tips

When setting up Buddycheck in your course consider communicating:
- the goal of the peer feedback (To gain insights in group process, to distinguish between contributions, to work on feedback/group work as a skill, personal/professional development of student). 
- how results are administered (anonymous or not), what will be done with the results (release, discuss in tutor groups), and what students have to do with the results (reflection, portfolio).   

FAQ

  • 1. I want to reuse my evaluation

    When you have created evaluations in the past, you can reuse the questions in a new evaluation. 
    By clicking on "create evaluation" in BuddyCheck you are asked to fill in a name and asked if you want to use a previous evaluation as a template for this new evaluation. You will be able to change some settings and questions upon choosing this option.

Contact

Please contact the CES-IM ICTO team (teachingtools-ces@utwente.nl) if you want to have a demo and/or use Buddycheck in your course.