Privacy | Verified by UBC’s Privacy Impact Assessment process. | Access | If your instructor creates an assignment in peerScholar, you can access it through Canvas. |
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Bandwidth | Low demand on internet connections. |
What will I use it for?
Your instructor may have you use peerScholar to participate in peer review:
- Submit online assignments for peers to evaluate
- Evaluate peer work and provide feedback
- Evaluate your own work
- Reflect on the feedback you receive from peers
This tool guide was last reviewed in July 2023.
What do I need to use peerScholar?
A supported web browser
peerScholar runs in your web browser and supports using Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Check the peerScholar supported browser page for more details.
A peerScholar student account
A peerScholar account will be created for you after you open a peerScholar assignment from Canvas. To make sure this account is created properly, please follow the steps for enrolling as outlined below.
Tips
- Although peerScholar is a separate application from Canvas, you will need to access peerScholar through Canvas for each course that uses it. Accessing peerScholar this way ensures that you are properly registered in each peerScholar course so your grades can be sent to Canvas.
Enroll in your peerScholar course
A peerScholar account will be created for you after you open a peerScholar assignment from Canvas.
- Log in to your Canvas course, and find your peerScholar assignment. This assignment might be in the "Assignments" or "Modules" area, depending on how your instructor has set it up.
- Click the peerScholar assignment that you want to open. If prompted, click to load the assignment in a new window.
- Once you see an overview of assigned peerScholar activities, you have successfully enrolled in your peerScholar course. If you don't see this overview, contact your instructor or teaching assistant, so that they can check your status in peerScholar.
Tips
- Assignments in peerScholar are called activities. But these terms are interchangeable.
- You will need to access peerScholar through Canvas for each course that uses it. Accessing peerScholar this way ensures you are properly registered in each peerScholar course so your grades can be sent to Canvas.
Understand the peerScholar workflow
Assessments in peerScholar are completed in three stages:
- Create - In the create phase, you will submit a type of digital assignment. Many instructors will ask you to submit written assignments. But submissions could also include other digital mediums like images or videos.
- Assess - In the assess phase, you will see anonymous peer work to analyze, mark, and provide feedback on. You may also be required to assess your own work, depending on the assignment. Instructors will provide a custom rubric to guide you in providing feedback.
- Reflect - In the reflect phase, you will read and consider the peer feedback that you have received. Depending on the assignment settings, you may be asked to evaluate each piece of feedback and/or implement the feedback suggestions by submitting a revised version of the original work.
To learn more about peerScholar's phases and the underlying purpose of each, you can read the peerScholar vision document.
Hand in work with peerScholar
To access peerScholar, you will first need to open the peerScholar assignment from within your Canvas course.
- Log in to your Canvas course, and find your peerScholar assignment. This assignment might be in the "Assignments" or "Modules" area, depending on how your instructor has set it up.
- Click the peerScholar assignment that you want to open. If prompted, click to load the assignment in a new window.
- You will seen an overview of the activities assigned to your course. Click one of the phases, either Create, Assess, or Reflect, to complete that part of the respective assignment.
- Read the instructions for each phase carefully, taking note of the objectives and prompts you should answer within the phase. When you are ready, click Let's Go! to proceed.
- Complete the phase. You may need to type a response, attach a file, or some other task, depending on the instructions.
- Once you are satisfied with your response, click Submit or Save and Submit.
- You can also save your response as a draft as you complete it, if you aren't ready to submit. You can continue to work on your response as long as the phase is open, and it will be marked as "Complete" only once you have submitted your response.
- You can resubmit work up until the due date passes or the instructor manually closes the phase. Once the due date has passed or the phase has been manually closed, your submission will be locked.
Tips
- While completing the assignment, pay close attention to the submission dates. You will only be able to complete each phase when it is open.
- For each phase, read the instructions and prompts closely. Most instructors will provide a custom rubric to guide you in completing each part of the peer review process.
Troubleshoot issues with handing in peerScholar work
If something goes wrong while you are trying to submit your assignment, you will usually see an error message. Your instructor will also be able to check your progress throughout the assignment and confirm your submission. However, you can try to resolve certain issues yourself.
General troubleshooting tips
- Ensure that you have a stable internet connection.
- Switch to a computer, if you are submitting from a mobile device.
- Update your browser to the latest version, or try a different browser.
- Disable any extensions/add-ons in your browser.
- Disable any VPNs (Virtual Private Network, e.g., myVPN).
Unable to complete a phase
The assignment schedule set by your instructor will affect when you can complete each phase of the assignment. First, check the status of the phase.
- Is the phase still open? You can only complete a phase when its status is "Open".
- If you would like to complete a phase but it is now "Closed" or past the submission deadline, please contact your instructor or teaching assistant to ask for an extension.
Review your graded work in peerScholar
Not all instructors will release grades using peerScholar; ask if you are not sure what to expect in your course.
- Log in to your Canvas course, and find your peerScholar assignment. This assignment might be in the "Assignments" or "Modules" area, depending on how your instructor has set it up.
- Click the peerScholar assignment that you want to open. If prompted, click to load the assignment in a new window.
- On the left sidebar in peerScholar, click Marks & Review.
- On the grades page, you will be able to see the grades received for each activity. Grades will be listed as "Not Available" if your instructor has not released the grades yet.
- You can click Review to see your original submission along with instructor or teaching assistant feedback.
peerScholar FAQ
Find UBC-specific answers to frequently asked questions by clicking any bar below.
Sometimes other students do not complete all their reviews. If one of these students was assigned your work to review, you may receive fewer reviews than the instructor set.
No, the assignments you receive to review are distributed randomly by peerScholar.
Instructors may set up the peerScholar groups randomly, manually, or by letting the students choose. If students are allowed to choose, then you will be able to select the group you would like to work in.
The maximum file size is 500MB.
Where can I get more support with peerScholar?
Technical support
If you have trouble accessing peerScholar:
- Contact us for assistance:
604 827 4775 or LT.hub@ubc.ca or visit the LT Hub online.
If you have technical issues using peerScholar:
- Submit a request at the peerScholar Support Center directly.
- Reach out to your instructors or teaching assistants with any questions, too. They may be able to answer any questions related to the assignment or provide real-time assistance in helping you resolve issues.
Online learning support
- Visit UBC’s Keep Learning site and the Chapman Learning Common’s student toolkits.
- Visit the UBC Vancouver’s Centre for Accessibility page or the UBC Okanagan’s Disability Resource Centre page to learn more about available support for students with disabilities and ongoing medical conditions.
Learn more
- For more information on peerScholar, including video demos and research, explore peerScholar’s main website.