ABSTRACT
Online peer feedback has been regarded as an effective way to promote collaborative learning in the teaching of translation technology. But there is limited research about decreasing the negative influence of social factors such as peer pressure, favouritism, and face-saving in the process. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of anonymous online peer feedback (AOPF) on students’ translation performance, feedback quality, self-efficacy and perceptions in translation technology teaching. A total of 60 Chinese postgraduate students from a translation technology training course participated in this study, and they were then randomly assigned into either the anonymous or identified group. Results indicated that AOPF was a practical approach to improving translation performance. The content analysis showed that the anonymous group provided more cognitive and metacognitive feedback messages in terms of feedback quality. In addition, students in the anonymous group felt more comfortable giving in-depth suggestions for peer work. However, there was no significant difference in affective feedback messages between the two groups. Furthermore, results from the questionnaires revealed that anonymity in online peer feedback could improve the students’ self-efficacy and learning satisfaction. These findings can give insights for trainers to facilitate practical peer assessment activities in translation technology training.
Acknowledgments
We would like to express much gratitude to all the participants in this study. Special gratitude is extended to Severine Hubscher–Davidson for her comments on an earlier draft of the paper. We would also like to express our great thanks to Helen Kaufmann and Yang Wenting for their kind help and insightful suggestions. Finally, we are also grateful to Nataša pavlović, Tao Youlan, Wang Huashu and the anonymous reviewers who provided constructive and thought–provoking comments.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1. Test for English Majors-Band 8, or TEM-8, is based on the highest standard for English major students in China. It evaluates students’ English ability in speaking, listening, reading, writing and translating.
2. Peergrade is an online platform that supports anonymous peer feedback activities. Students can submit their work, provide feedback based on the rubrics designed by teachers, and receive feedback from peers. Instructors could monitor students’ performance during the whole process.