Jesper Riis-Vestergaard Sørensen

Abstract

Portfolio Exam and Peer Feedback in Advanced Microeconometrics

We introduce a portfolio-exam format including multiple project and peer-feedback assignments to an economics master’s course in quantitative methods in an attempt to improve course alignment. An end-of-semester student survey indicates generally positive outcomes in terms of learning. Students generally agree with them having learned from both giving and receiving feedback with students responding somewhat more positively to the former task. Peer feedback appears more beneficial to both givers and receivers when it comes to empirical, as opposed to mathematical, project assignments. The vast majority of students report that the peer review activity led to them modifying and improving their initial project submissions. However, student comments reflect an unintentionally high workload and signal remaining issues with the (lack of) alignment between lectures, exercise classes, and projects. In an attempt to remedy some of these initial design flaws, the author has experimented with an adjusted design in another quantitative methods course. The main adjustments involve: (a) fusing the theoretical and empirical assignments; and (b) setting aside multiple exercise classes for the purpose of getting groups started with the project assignments. The mainly positive response to these modifications speaks in favor of using portfolio exams in combination with peer feedback when teaching quantitative methods in economics.