PEER FEEDBACK THROUGH DIGITAL TOOLS FOR DEVELOPING SPEAKING SKILLS

Abstract

The increasing adoption of online learning in education poses challenges for educators, particularly in encouraging student interaction and engagement. In response, digital tools have emerged as potential solutions to enhance these interactions, especially in peer review activities. However, their effectiveness in facilitating peer review sessions and students’ attitudes toward their use remain underexplored. This study employs quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate students’ attitudes towards giving and receiving feedback through online peer review on Flip as a digital tool and their perceptions of its effectiveness in facilitating these sessions. Among other digital platforms, Flip was selected for its ability to facilitate speaking practices, enable students to share video responses and foster peer feedback through comments and likes. Data was collected through a post-activity survey from 148 undergraduate students enrolled in an English professional communication course at the National University of Malaysia. The data was then analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to understand students’ attitudes and perceived learning through peer review activities on Flip. Results indicate a favourable attitude towards giving and receiving feedback on Flip among students, which boosts their confidence when participating in peer review activities. Moreover, students considered Flip an effective platform for conducting peer review sessions as it fosters a more interactive learning environment. The study concludes that Flip is an effective digital tool that can be integrated into speaking activities to enhance students’ active participation and interaction, offering valuable insights into the use of digital platforms in online English language teaching.