STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF PROJECT ESSAY GRADE (PEG) SOFTWARE
Issues in Information Systems · 2013
The development of increasingly sophisticated software to grade student written work (Project Essay Grade, or PEG) has created a controversy within higher education.Proponents of this technology point to virtually instant grading and feedback as well as studies that demonstrate no significant differences in grades given by the computer and faculty.However opponents contend that this software fundamentally alters the nature of the faculty-student relationship and can have long term consequences for education.This study looked at how college students perceived the value of this technology and issues they had with it.The study surveyed 684 students at four colleges and revealed that perceptions generally fell into four components; faculty relationship issues, grade issues, technology acceptance, and ethical/fairness considerations.Grades were the most significant perceptual concern for students.ANOVA analysis further revealed that significant variables in overall perception of PEG software included the type of institution the student attended and their experiences in classes that utilized PEG software.Overall, students had a strong preference for faculty grading written work, although for several demographic groups there was considerable interest in PEGs.