Wiki| Peer Review in Canvas Discussion-Instructors
Overview
This module introduces instructors to using peer review within Canvas discussions to deepen student engagement, improve critical thinking, and build a collaborative learning environment. Instructors will learn how to design, structure, and facilitate effective peer review activities that support meaningful student interaction.
Module Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, instructors will be able to:
Explain the purpose and benefits of peer review in online discussions.
Design a discussion prompt that includes clear peer review expectations.
Set up a graded discussion with structured feedback tools (e.g., rubrics).
Guide students through giving constructive, respectful feedback.
Monitor, assess, and refine peer review activities for future use.
Why Use Peer Review in Discussions
This section covers the pedagogical value of peer review, including:
Encouraging deeper learning and critical thinking
Strengthening communication and writing skills
Building community and accountability
Distributing feedback workload
Peer Review in Canvas Discussion-Instructors
Preparing Your Peer Review Activity
Instructors will learn how to:
Define clear goals for the peer review task
Provide a rubric or guidelines for giving feedback
Provide templates or examples of constructive comments
Determine how many peer reviews each student must complete
Vague instructions often lead to shallow or overly positive feedback.
Set Clear Deadlines
Assign separate deadlines for original posts and peer replies
Ensure students have enough time to review others’ work
If deadlines overlap, students may rush and provide low-quality feedback.
Creating the Peer Review Discussion in Canvas
Access Discussions Tool
Go to your course in Canvas LMS
Click on “Discussions” in the course navigation menu
Make sure Discussions are enabled in course settings before starting.
Set Up a New Discussion
Click “+ Discussion”
Enter a clear title and detailed instructions including peer review requirements
Configure Options
Check “Graded” if you want to assign points
Enable “Require users to post before seeing replies” (optional)
Add a rubric to guide peer feedback
Guiding Students Through the Peer Review Process
Assign Peer Interaction Tasks
Require each student to respond to a set number of peers (e.g., 2–3 posts)
Specify what quality feedback looks like (e.g., questions, suggestions, critiques)
Without a minimum requirement, some students may not participate in peer review at all.
Provide Feedback Prompts
Include guiding questions such as:
What is one strength of the post?
What could be improved?
What questions remain?
Monitoring and Supporting Peer Review
Track Participation
Review discussion threads to ensure students are engaging appropriately
Identify students who may need additional guidance
Early monitoring prevents misunderstandings from spreading
Intervene When Needed
Provide clarifications or model good feedback if necessary
Address inappropriate or unhelpful comments promptly
Occasional instructor presence increases student motivation and accountability.
Evaluate Peer Review Contributions
Use a Rubric
Assess both the original post and the quality of peer feedback
Include criteria such as clarity, depth, and constructiveness
Grading only the original post may signal that peer feedback is not important.
Provide Instructor Feedback
Add your own comments to highlight strong peer reviews
Offer suggestions for improving feedback quality in future discussions
Module Completion Requirements
To complete this module, instructors must:
Review all instructional content
Create a sample peer review discussion in a sandbox course
Attach a rubric and set separate deadlines
Submit a brief reflection on how they plan to use peer review in their course