OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open-access peer-reviewed journal
https://doi.org/10.64211/oidaijsd190214
Fostering active learner participation in higher education: An action research project
P. B. S. L. Pushpakumara
Department of English Language Teaching and International Center for Multidisciplinary Studies,
University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
Corresponding authour: sampath@sjp.ac.lk
Volume 19, Issue 02, Pg. 167-184, 2026.
Abstract: Social policies and educational policies are deeply interconnected, and educational policies shape the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of individuals in a society, which in turn influence social policies. Therefore, educational policies should be introduced to foster various social skills including lifelong independent and collaborative learning because such skills help individuals to thrive in an ever-changing world and competitive job market. It in this context that active learner participation becomes a cornerstone of effective pedagogy. Yet, students remain passive in classrooms, especially in language classrooms including English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms due to several reasons such as fear of making mistakes, teacher-centered pedagogical approaches, lack of confidence, and cultural influences. Grounded in Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, the present study adapted Kurt Lewin’s Spiral Steps for Action Research Model to investigate how different actions, namely evaluating peers and evaluating and offering feedback to peers during oral presentations enhanced active participation in an ESL classroom. In spite of some challenges such as student resistance, time constraints, friendship biases and lack of training in offering feedback, peer evaluation has the ability to empower pupils and foster not only a sense of responsibility and ownership for their own learning but also independent learning and collaborative learning with peers. Employing mixed methods approach, the study collected data from 48 participants enrolled in an ESL program at a university in Sri Lanka. Statistical analysis of student responses revealed a strong preference for peer evaluation with feedback. Qualitative data also confirmed that students preferred peer evaluation with feedback, which ensured active participation and accountability, enhanced learning opportunities, collaborative learning and knowledge sharing opportunities, increased attention and focus, motivation and confidence building. The findings emphasize the importance of incorporating peer evaluation with feedback as regular classroom practice. Educators can equip the students with the necessary peer evaluation skills to maximize the effectiveness of peer evaluation. Also, policy makers and ESL course designers can introduce peer evaluation to improve critical thinking, and create more interactive, engaging and reflective classroom environments. Overall, this study underscores the transformative potential of peer evaluation in ESL education to enhance independent evaluative skills, professional collaboration and teamwork, communication skills, negotiation skills and listening skills which play vital roles in the modern corporate world. Future research could explore the long-term effects of peer evaluation in diverse educational settings, cultural contexts, and subject areas.
Keywords: peer evaluation and feedback; self-efficacy theory; social skills; sociocultural theory; spiral steps for action research
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