Discover how Temasek Polytechnic transformed peer evaluation with FeedbackFruits, improving collaboration, grading accuracy, and student feedback. Explore their journey, outcomes, and future vision for integrating AI-driven solutions in education.
Wee May Lin serves as the Senior Academic Mentor at the School of Engineering, Temasek Polytechnic. Previously, she held the role of Senior Manager at the school, where she oversaw teaching and learning, including curriculum design, delivery, and assessment. She spearheaded the implementation of pedagogical initiatives such as problem-based and project-based learning and supported staff in adopting educational technologies. Her unwavering passion for education fuels her dedication to discovering innovative and effective methods to enhance student learning.
Chan Ruo Hui is the Deputy Manager at the Learning Academy of Temasek Polytechnic. Before joining the Learning Academy, Ruo Hui worked as an instructional designer for 3D simulations in the School of Engineering. His interests include blended learning, instructional design, learning analytics, teaching, and learning strategies using technology.
Discover how Temasek Polytechnic transformed peer evaluation with FeedbackFruits, improving collaboration, grading accuracy, and student feedback. Explore their journey, outcomes, and future vision for integrating AI-driven solutions in education.
Wee May Lin serves as the Senior Academic Mentor at the School of Engineering, Temasek Polytechnic. Previously, she held the role of Senior Manager at the school, where she oversaw teaching and learning, including curriculum design, delivery, and assessment. She spearheaded the implementation of pedagogical initiatives such as problem-based and project-based learning and supported staff in adopting educational technologies. Her unwavering passion for education fuels her dedication to discovering innovative and effective methods to enhance student learning.
Chan Ruo Hui is the Deputy Manager at the Learning Academy of Temasek Polytechnic. Before joining the Learning Academy, Ruo Hui worked as an instructional designer for 3D simulations in the School of Engineering. His interests include blended learning, instructional design, learning analytics, teaching, and learning strategies using technology.
When Temasek Polytechnic (TP) faced the challenge of enhancing the group evaluation process, they sought a solution that could meet the diverse needs of their faculty and students. FeedbackFruits was able to provide an ideal solution, offering flexibility, time-saving features, and a fair grading system. What began as a pilot project in the School of Engineering soon expanded across the institution, empowering faculty with streamlined assessment processes and helping students develop essential feedback skills. This partner story explores TP’s journey with FeedbackFruits, from initial implementation to plans for leveraging AI to enhance peer evaluation and group member assessments.
With over 800 faculty members and 13.000 students, Temasek Polytechnic (TP) strives to create an environment where “every student can achieve their personal best and become well-rounded, industry-ready professionals who can contribute meaningfully to the global community”.
At TP, there has been a long-standing recognition of, and need for, effective group work and peer and self-assessment. While group work helps foster collaborative learning and stimulates real-world skills, peer and group feedback allows students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of content and develop the ability to critically evaluate their peers.
This goal comes with a need for a robust and adaptable group evaluation tool. TP previously relied on an internally developed peer evaluation system tailored to the needs of the School of Engineering. However, due to changes in IT policies, the system became obsolete, leaving a significant gap in the assessment process for subjects requiring teamwork. As part of her role then, May Lin took on the responsibility of finding a suitable replacement solution that could meet the institution’s rigorous requirements for peer evaluations.
The search for a new tool was driven by the recognition that a key component of student success in project-based learning environments was the ability to fairly assess each group member’s contribution. The challenge was to find a solution that not only facilitated peer evaluation but also provided flexibility for different subjects and teaching approaches.
“As a Senior Manager for Teaching and Learning who proposed the assessment framework for Engineering School, I recognised the importance of ‘assessing’ teamwork in group projects. Giving a ‘say’ to the students through peer evaluation develops their collaborative skills and heightens their personal responsibility as individual contributors to their team.”
The School of Engineering’s existing system offered a fixed rubric that only worked well for subjects using a problem-based learning approach. This limitation prompted the search for a more flexible and scalable tool that allows for a more flexible rubric configuration.
May Lin explored several options, utilizing online searches, including Google and YouTube, to investigate available tools. After evaluating different vendors and tools, May Lin discovered FeedbackFruits Group Member Evaluation. What caught her attention was its ability to allow users to create customizable rubrics, which meant that lecturers across different faculties could tailor the evaluation process to their specific needs. This flexibility was key, as the tool could support a range of pedagogical approaches, making it adaptable for both problem-based learning and other pedagogical approaches.
The decision-making process involved multiple stakeholders. After an initial pilot within the School of Engineering, May Lin presented the tool to the Learning Academy, which , recognised its potential for broader use across the polytechnic. The tool was introduced during a meeting of the Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC), a group consisting of representatives from various schools at TP and the decision was made to expand the use of FeedbackFruits beyond the School of Engineering, to benefit lecturers and students from other faculties.
Before arriving at the decision, TP conducted an internal evaluation, comparing FeedbackFruits with other similar tools on the market. The process involved ranking different solutions based on specific criteria, such as flexibility in rubric creation, ease of use, and the ability to moderate and systematically adjust scores. FeedbackFruits stood out for its comprehensive approach to peer evaluation, particularly its focus on group member evaluation, which was a key requirement. After consulting with the Learning Academy and receiving input from different departments, TP decided to adopt FeedbackFruits as the institution-wide tool for peer evaluations.
“I think this particular tool is valued by different teachers because they have gone through the process of trying to evaluate group members in their different subjects. Having experienced difficulties in designing the rubrics, compiling the grades, or determining what marks should be given to the group members, FeedbackFruits is able to provide a solution,” said Mr Chan Ruo Hui, Deputy Manager of Temasek Polytechnic.
The implementation of FeedbackFruits Group Member Evaluation started with a pilot at the School of Engineering, where it quickly demonstrated its value in streamlining the peer evaluation process. Lecturers found that the tool simplified the creation and management of peer assessments, allowing them to focus more on teaching and less on administrative tasks. The ability to create customised rubrics meant that the tool could be tailored to different subjects, addressing the issue of rigidity that had plagued the previous system. Additionally, FeedbackFruits provided a more systematic approach to moderating and adjusting scores, which reduced the risk of unfair grading due to student collusion or manual errors.
The Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC) and the Learning Academy were instrumental in scaling the tool’s usage across the polytechnic. After the success of the pilot in 2022, FeedbackFruits was introduced to other schools, including the School of Business and the School of Humanities, through teaching and learning workshops.
One of the key selling points for lecturers was the time-saving aspect of the tool. Previously, lecturers had to manually collate scores from different students and adjust them in Excel, a process that was both time-consuming and prone to errors. FeedbackFruits automated much of this work, allowing lecturers to quickly assess group contributions and provide fair, transparent grades.
“For lecturers, it's the time saved from having to do the Excel macros to calculating the marks because now the marks are taken care of by the FeedbackFruits system. It's also an easier way to explain to students how the marks are arrived”, said Mr Chan Ruo Hui, Deputy Manager of Temasek Polytechnic.
The feedback from both students and staff was overwhelmingly positive. In surveys conducted by TP, both groups expressed high satisfaction with the tool. Lecturers appreciated the time-saving features and the flexibility in creating rubrics, while students valued the ease of use and the opportunity to provide detailed feedback to their peers. One of the more unique aspects of FeedbackFruits was the ability for students to download feedback from their peers, which they could later use as part of their portfolios or CVs, showcasing their teamwork and collaboration skills to future employers.
From the students’ perspective, FeedbackFruits was easy to use and provided a more structured approach to peer evaluations. In addition to scoring each other’s contributions, students could give and receive detailed feedback, which helped them develop critical skills in both giving and receiving constructive criticism. This aspect of the tool was particularly valuable in courses where collaboration and teamwork were essential, such as the tourism courses in the School of Business. Students in these programmes needed to be comfortable receiving feedback from customers and peers in real-world scenarios, and FeedbackFruits helped them build that confidence.
“Having the option to provide open feedback allows us to develop students' readiness to be able to accept constructive feedback from others,” added Ms Wee May Lin, Senior Academic Mentor of Temasek Polytechnic.
For lecturers, they appreciated that FeedbackFruits is designed to address fairness in group projects. One of the common issues in group work is the presence of "freeloaders" or “outliers” — students who do not contribute equally to the project but still receive the same grade as their peers. FeedbackFruits helped mitigate this issue by providing lecturers with the feature to accurately assess each student’s contribution and adjust grades accordingly. This not only motivated students to contribute more meaningfully to group projects but also gave lecturers a clear rationale for rewarding hard-working students and penalizing those who did not pull their weight.
Learn more about the “detect outliers” feature here.
Thanks to the positive responses on FeedbackFruits solutions, many other schools at TP other than the School of Engineering and the School of Business are also utilizing the tools in their courses.
“This is one of the few e-tools that is used by different schools at Temasek Polytechnic and Feedback Fruits is an e-tool that is well utilised.” said Mr. Chan Ruo Hui, Deputy Manager of Temasek Polytechnic.
Looking ahead, Temasek Polytechnic sees FeedbackFruits as a key component of its teaching and learning strategy, especially in addressing new challenges in education. With the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, TP recognizes the need to adapt its assessment methods to ensure academic integrity. The concern is that students could use AI to generate assignments, bypassing the learning process. To combat this, TP is considering expanding its use of FeedbackFruits’ Peer Review and Assignment Review tools. By involving students in critiquing each other’s work at various stages of a project, TP hopes to create a more dynamic and engaging learning environment where AI-generated content can be identified and addressed early on.
In addition to addressing AI-related concerns, TP plans to further explore other tools in the FeedbackFruits Teaching and Learning system. While Group Member Evaluation has been the primary focus so far, other feedback and assessment tools like the Peer Review is being used in different schools. For example, the School of Business and the School of Humanities & Social Sciences are experimenting with these features to assess oral presentations and written assignments, giving students more opportunities to engage in peer feedback and develop critical evaluation skills.
Learn more about FeedbackFruits Feedback and Assessment solution.
The partnership between Temasek Polytechnic and FeedbackFruits is strong thanks to regular communication and support. There are bi-weekly meetings where lecturers can raise issues that they encounter and receive direct support from the FeedbackFruits team. This close working relationship has been essential in ensuring the successful implementation of the tool and addressing any challenges that arise.
“FeedbackFruits is one vendor that has been consistent and patient with us and showing us constant support along the way,” said Ms Wee May Lin, Senior Academic Mentor of Temasek Polytechnic.
Looking into the future, TP is also considering incorporating more advanced features from FeedbackFruits, such as Competency-based Assessment. Although some initial pilots have been put on hold, there is interest in exploring how these tools can help the institution move toward a more competency-driven education model. With a clear vision of enhancing student learning through innovative tools and technology, TP is committed to continuing its partnership with FeedbackFruits to support its evolving educational goals.
Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us, May Lin and Ruo Hui. We loved learning about your thoughtful perspectives on lifelong skills, along with your deep insights on technology evaluation and adoption.
Besides Temasek Polytechnic, we are also collaborating with over 200 institutions worldwide to address educational challenges and cultivate a quality higher education. Read more about the fruits of our collaborative efforts in our success stories.
If you are seeking solutions to help enhance education quality, you can schedule a 1–1 consultation with one of our pedagogy experts who will provide you with personalized recommendations on course management and tools evaluation that align with your institution's strategic planning.
The University of Arizona utilized student-centric approach and FeedbackFruits solutions to ensure compliance with the Quality Matter Standards
.jpg)
Explore Temasek Polytechnic’s journey with FeedbackFruits, from initial implementation to plans for leveraging AI to enhance peer evaluation and group member assessments
.jpg)
Learn how NHL Stenden made the transition from traditional portfolios to a streamlined, user-friendly approach that enables students to concentrate more fully on learning
We gather the most valuable resources and learnings on pedagogy and email them to you every month.
.png){kind=small}
