Psychological Safety During Peer Response in Writing Classrooms

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the conditions of psychological safety during peer response activities in writing classrooms. Instructors frequently use peer response activities to create classroom community and generate feedback on writing, but there is little academic literature on the circumstances that produce psychological safety during those activities. Our research engaged with the questions: What are the sources of psychological unsafety experienced by students during peer response activities?; and What are the academic and social stakes for students of peer response activities? This research is relevant to writing instructors who implement peer response activities in their classrooms.