iPeer User Documentation

(Created January 2013)

iPeer is an application to develop and deliver rubric-like peer evaluations, to review and release student comments, to build progress report forms on-line, and to analyze evaluation results. It has extensive features including a user management system, student feedback control, data import/export, automatic installer, self-evaluation and etc…

Technical Information

iPeer is a Web Application. This means that it runs on a server, and can be accessed with any web browser.
iPeer is written in a web programming language called PHP (​http://www.php.net) and uses an application framework called CakePHP. (​http://www.cakephp.org) to structure its code. For more technical details, please see iPeer's Trac website at ​http://ipeer.ctlt.ubc.ca/trac/

There are 5 types of users in iPeer: students, tutors, instructors, faculty administrators, and administrators.

Students

The students interface is focused on completing evaluations. After students have been created they can log into the system, and after they have been assigned to courses they can complete evaluation events.

Login for Students

Students can log in via 2 mechanisms:

• via username and password, like every other type of iPeer user.
• via the CWL plug-in (for University of British Columbia (UBC)).
  • Note that if CWL plug-in is enabled, the students cannot login via iPeer's username and password, and must always use their CWL login.

iPeer Login for Students

The students login with their username and password.

• Username: enter your student number.
• Password: enter the password given to you by your instructor or TA. You can update your password later.

Click the login button to complete the login process.

CWL Login for UBC Students

Click on the CWL logo at the login screen, and you will be taken to the UBC CWL login page. Login like you do for other UBC pages, and after the login is complete, you'll be taken iPeer Home.

• Please note that if you use your CWL login, changing your password in iPeer will have no effect on your CWL password.

Home Page

When a students logs in, they are presented with the home page. Student's view of iPeer is focused on submitting evaluations assigned by their instructors.
This page contains 5 sections, listing evaluation events:

Peer Evaluations Due

These are the evaluations that should be completed. Example:

Event	Group	Course	Due Date	Due In / Late By
Evaluation 2	Unnamed	COMP 101 101	Sun, Sep 5, 2010 11:55 am	30.2 days

To complete an evaluation, just click on its title. So, to complete the above event, you would click on "Evaluation 2".

Peer Evaluations Submitted

These evaluations were already completed. Example:

Event	Viewable Start / End	Group	Course	Due Date	Date Submitted
Evaluation 1	2013-01-01 00:00:00	Unnamed	COMP 101 101	Tues,Jan 1,2012 12:00 am	2012-11-23 12:24:51

If the "Viewable Start / End" date is coloured

• red, the name of the event is a link to the previously submitted evaluation, allowing students to change their submission.
• black, the name of the event is a link to the evaluation answers and results (if they were released by the instructor).

If the name of the event is not a link, the event has ended (no more submissions can be made) and the results are not viewable yet.

Peer Evaluations Expired With No Submission

These evaluations have expired and have not been completed. Example:

Event	Viewable Start / End	Group	Course	Due Date
Evaluation 3	2013-01-01 00:00:00	Unnamed	COMP 101 101	Tues,Dec 25,2012 12:00 am

If the name of the event is a link, results are viewable

Surveys Due

These are the surveys that should be completed. Example:

Event	Course	Due Date	Due In / Late By
Survey 1	COMP 101 101	Tues,Jan 8,2013 12:00 pm	6 days

To complete a survey, just click on its title. So, to complete the above survey, you would click on "Survey 1".

Surveys Submitted

These surveys were already completed. Example:

Event	Course	Due Date	Date Submitted
Survey 2	COMP 101 101	Tues,Jan 1, 2013 12:00 pm	2012-12-25 11:37:17

The name of the event is a link to the answers submitted.

Filling out Evaluations

There are 3 types of evaluations in iPeer: Simple Evaluations, Rubrics, and Mixed evaluations. After clicking on an evaluation name, the selected evaluation will open.

Simple Evaluations

Simple evaluations are the most basic evaluation types in iPeer. They consist of a set number of points to distribute among your team members. The following instructions appear on the evaluation page itself, and this manual will expand on each of the points:

1. Rate your peer's relative performance by using the slider. [Weight 1-10]
   • iPeer has a semi-automatic system for distributing points with amongst your team members. Slide each of the orange sliders to evaluate your team members relative to one-another. This will assign them "slider-points".
2. Click "Distribute" button to distribute points.
   • iPeer will calculate the percentage of "slider-points" you assigned to each of your teammates, and will then calculate how many real points each is given. For example, the evaluation has 200 Real Points to distribute amongst your 4 teammates. You assign them "relative score" of 8 for each. You then click distribute. The total number of "relative scores" will be 32. Each member has 8 relative points, their will all get 8/32*100% = 25% of the total real score. In real score, each member will get 200 Points * 25% = 50 points / member.
   • The above situation would repeat itself if you assigned each member a slider score, of 2, or 4, or 6, or anything else. Since the number of "relative points" you gave to each member mains equal, they will all be equal relative to one another. It is only the real score for each member that counts.
   • Quick note: If the above info is confusing, then simply forget about the sliders and Distribute button! Instead, enter the number of points you would like to give to each teammate manually, fill out the comments, and submit your evaluation. Make sure that the points add up to the total number of points to distribute. This is explained in point 3, bellow.
3. Allocate any remaining points.
   • This step usually occurs in cases where the "Distribute" button could not allocate all the points exactly according to your relative scores.
   • For example, if you relative-scored all your three teammates equally, and the number of total points is 100, the real points cannot be equally divided! Each member would get 33 points, and 33+33+33 = 99, with one real point left to distribute. To distribute this point, you would give one of your team members a score of 34 manually. That way, the total real score would be 34 + 33 + 33 = 100, and all points would be distributed.
   • If "Distribute" button succeeded in giving everyone a fair score, or if you distributed all the points yourself, this step is unnecessary.
4. Enter Comments
   • You may always enter a comment. Some instructors will require you to enter comments, and others will not. Whatever the case might be, please remember that explaining the reasons behind your evaluation of your team-mates is always a good idea!
5. NOTE: "Submit Evaluation" button will only be enabled when all points are distributed, and comments (if required) are filled!
   • Before you submit:
     • Look over your scores one more time.
     • Check that you entered all the comments that you like, or are required to.
   • If the Submit button is grayed out, something is likely missing. Check the comments and total number of real points once again.

Rubric Evaluations

In Rubric Evaluations, you will rate your team members on different aspects of their performance.

• For example, if one of your teammates participates very well in meetings, but is late turning-in assignments, you could rate them separately on these categories.

Each category has a score, and comment.

• Filling out the score is required. There are usually 5 available scores. Make sure to set a score for each category (the lowest score is selected by default, and your teammate probably deserve more!)
• Comments may or may not be required, depending on your instructor's wishes. When writing comments, please be thorough, respectful and descriptive.

All you teammate's forms will be arranged in a "accordion"-type interface. This means that each member's evaluation is folded-up. Here's an example with 4 teammates:

Group Member Wilma	-	(click to expand)
Group Member Fred	-	(click to expand)
Group Member Betty	-	(click to expand)
Group Member Barny	-	(click to expand)

1. Your first teammate's evaluation will be shown already.
2. Please fill out that first team mate's evaluation, and save it!
   • If you don't save each part as you fill it out, the information could be lost when you move on to the next teammate. Always be sure you saved.
3. When you click another teammate's name, their evaluation forms will unfold. You can now complete the evaluation and Save it. Please complete each teammate's evaluation in this way.
   • You may freely go back and forth between your teammates, but if you modify anything for a teammate, please save their section before moving on.
   • When you save a section, the accordion interface will show your first teammate's evaluation form again. This is a known iPeer issue - please select your next teammate manually for now.
4. When you are rating and commenting on all your teammates, submit the evaluation!
   • If the Submit button is disabled, some of the evaluations have not been complete. You should:
     • Check that you have completed the evaluations for everyone.
     • If your instructor requires comments, check all the input fields (blank-white areas) for your teammates are filled. There's a comment for each teammate's category, and a general comment about each teammate.

Mixed Evaluations

Mixed evaluations are similar to rubrics, with an addition of short answer questions. Just like in rubrics, the evaluations are arranged in an accordion-like arrangement,

Group Member Wilma	-	Incomplete (click to expand)
Group Member Fred	-	Incomplete (click to expand)
Group Member Betty	-	Incomplete (click to expand)
Group Member Barny	-	Incomplete (click to expand)

1. Your first teammate's evaluation will be shown.
2. Please fill out that first team mate's evaluation, and save it!
3. After saving, click the name of your next teammate, and complete the evaluation in the save way, and then save it too.
   • You may freely go back and forth between your teammates, but if you modify anything for a teammate, please save their section before moving on.
   • When you save a section, the accordion interface will show your first teammate's evaluation form again. This is a known iPeer issue - please select your next teammate manually for now.
4. After completing all the evaluations for all the group members, submit the evaluation.
   • If the Submit button is disabled, some of the evaluations have not been complete. You should:
     • Check that you have completed the evaluations for all students. All the questions must be answered, and the answeres saved.