An Analysis of GalleryWalk Peer Feedback on Scratch Projects from Bilingual/Non-Bilingual Fourth Grade Students

Computer science learning in primary school classrooms has expanded, necessitating effective instructional strategies for this age group. GalleryWalks are a common activity to allow peers to share their work and give feedback on peers' work. Like other skills, providing effective feedback may require scaffolding and/or instruction for some students. Currently, there is little work exploring how CS students provide peer feedback without extensive instruction, especially at the primary school level (aged 5-11). We analyzed the feedback 4th grade students gave on a structured worksheet during a gallery walk. We found that students often provided both compliments and suggestions when prompted, but their feedback focused primarily on program aesthetics (e.g., characters, sounds, or storyline) rather than programmed elements, even when directed to focus on the program. In addition, bilingual and non-bilingual classes differed in how students followed the worksheet structure.