Cognitive-Aware Peer Assessment: Design Implications from a Classroom Deployment

Peer assessment is widely used in higher education, yet the cognitive demands placed on student assessors, particularly under conditions of overload and repetition, remain poorly understood. We examine how two cognitive factors, information overload and what we term assessment fatigue, influence evaluation behavior and user experience. Assessment fatigue is defined as cognitive strain resulting from repeated evaluative tasks. The study draws on data from a university-level deployment of a structured peer evaluation system. We applied Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze how behavioral data and self-reported perceptions of overload and fatigue relate to overall system satisfaction. Results reveal a significant indirect pathway from information overload to system satisfaction, mediated by fatigue. Based on these findings, we propose design recommendations for cognitively-aware assessment systems that adapt to students' cognitive constraints, contributing to the development of AI-supported educational tools that are more robust and human-centered.