Online Peer Feedback and Critical Thinking Skills: An Investigation from Students' Perspectives in a Private University in Vietnam

The prevalence of computer technologies has grown the perception of online peer feedback as an effective instrument for developing critical thinking abilities in higher education generally, and ESL classrooms specifically, as a tool for improving critical thinking abilities. The efficiency of this activity was most clearly proved during the Covid 19 pandemic when educational systems around the world were pushed to transition from traditional courses to online learning. The current study looked into how Vietnamese students perceived online peer feedback and its connection to critical thinking abilities. A mixed-methods strategy was adopted in this project, which integrated both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The perspectives of 91 students enrolled in an English General Preparation Course at a private university in Vietnam on online peer feedback were effectively communicated through quantitative surveys for objective data, followed by qualitative interviews with three English lecturers and six students for in-depth information about their experiences. This study demonstrated that offering online peer feedback to students enables them to enhance their critical thinking skills, notably in examining one another's work and, as a result, proposing a viable solution. However, to ensure that students are able to reap the benefits of online peer feedback and get more active in such a practical activity, instructors must provide explicit guidance.