Abstract :
An important part of the process that enables us to improve ourselves as musicians in
group music making involves developing an awareness of our personal attributes as they
are displayed in the rehearsal. In order to help students become more aware of themselves
and of their band members’ personal attributes as they rehearse, a peer assessment system
was established. The project was piloted and developed at Barnsley College and University
of Huddersfield (Barnsley Campus) with first year undergraduates on the BA Popular Music
course across 2000–2008. Individuals agreed to allow their bands to identify particular
personal attributes for each member that, they felt, could be improved and used as peer
assessment criteria. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 students over a 4-year
period and the following areas emerged as a focus of these: self-knowledge, feedback,
confidence, honesty. The study has implications for devising peer assessment systems that
are responsive to individual learners and their unique needs. It also suggests the desirability
of providing peer assessment activities that might foster trust among participants and, if so,
supports the provision of exceptional feedback. Now in its ninth year, this system has been
refined into a model.
