Anonymous peer review and instructor feedback

[MichaelSugerman]

I am an instructor and I have used Canvas for many years (and Blackboard and Moodle for years before that). After reading a number of posts and discussions I finally decided to add student peer reviews into a class this semester. Having done so, I ran into the issue that Speedgrader markup tools are hidden when the "Peer Reviews Appear Anonymously" option is checked.

I understand that this is the way that Instructure has designed the software. What I can't understand is why they designed it that way? Can anyone give me a good explanation for why an instructor should not be able to use Speedgrader feedback tools (which I use extensively) when the student peer review is anonymous? What is the idea behind this? 

To be blunt, it seems like a very bad idea to me, but I'd be happy to hear from anyone who thinks it's a good idea.

[james_whalley · Accepted solution]

@MichaelSugerman I see that this (or a similar) idea has been submitted before and is apparently in development. I know Instructure is also working to revamp the peer feedback feature in Canvas. This survey gives an opportunity to provide them feedback. I am not sure if it touches on the anonymous feedback option, but it might be a way to start a discussion.

[MichaelSugerman]

Thanks for that response, James. The idea you referenced appears to have been implemented already. Students can see the peer review comments without seeing the name of the peer reviewer. My problem is that, if the "anonymous" option is selected in the peer review assignment, it means that I (the instructor) am no longer able to use the feedback/markup tools in SpeedGrader. 

If I want to comment on student submissions that are also being peer reviewed, I have to download the submissions individually, mark them up in MS Word or a PDF editor, and the upload them each to the individual student's submission. In a large class, I'm afraid that that's just not going to happen.

Thanks for pointing me to the survey!