A Bibliometric Analysis of Peer Assessment in Online Language Courses

As a popular strategy in collaborative learning, peer assessment has attracted keen interest in academic studies on online language learning contexts. The growing body of studies and findings necessitates the analysis of current publication trends and citation networks, given that studies in technology-enhanced language learning are increasingly active. Through a bibliometric analysis involving visualization and citation network analyses, this study finds that peer assessment in online language courses has received much attention since the COVID-19 outbreak. It remains a popular research topic with a preference for studies on online writing courses, and demonstrates international and interdisciplinary research trends. Recent studies have led peer assessment in online language courses to more specific research topics, such as critical factors for improving students’ engagement and feedback quality, unique advantages in providing online peer assessment, and designs to enhance peer assessment quality. This study also provides critical aspects about how to effectively integrate educational technologies into peer assessment in online language courses. The findings in this study will encourage future studies on peer assessment in online learning, language teaching methods, and the application of educational technologies.