Peer assessment in textbooks, curricula and support material

The overall purpose of this study is to make a comparative analysis between how peer assessment is presented and expressed in textbooks intended for the Swedish subject in grades 7–9 and in textbooks for upper secondary school. A sub-purpose is to set the content of the textbooks against what is stipulated in the two Swedish school curricula with regard to how peer assessment should be practiced by Swedish teachers. A second sub-purpose is to compare the content of the textbooks with what Skolverket (National Agency for Education) states in its support material. A qualitative method was used. The results show a certain development between the textbooks intended for compulsory school and the ones that pertain to upper secondary school. Textually, it is more developed in the latter: feedback and response are described in more detail, especially in one of the books. Also in terms of content, these textbooks include more material that is in line with the method of peer assessment. But looking at all the material that has been examined, the analysis shows that the wording is relatively undeveloped, that instructions for students and teachers are often in point form, and that the authors omit descriptions of the purpose and usefulness of peer reviews. The analysis of the two curricula shows a willingness for teachers to work with peer assessment. However, the relationship between the content of the textbooks and the texts from Skolverket reveals differences in how the scientific basis is expressed. In the textbooks, references to research are usually omitted and the usefulness of peer assessment is not clarified to any great extent. The results of the study are discussed from different theoretical perspectives and previous research