Competence orientation in vocational education aims to develop the subject-specific, personal, and social competencies necessary for professional practice. Project-based learning provides authentic opportunities to develop these competencies through collaborative engagement with complex problems. While subject-related learning objectives are usually well integrated into instructional planning and assessment, social competencies are often viewed as a by-product of group interaction. They are often addressed via classroom management rather than well-structured learning processes.

This paper explores how self- and peer assessment can be used to aid teachers in deliberately planning and guiding social competence development in project-based vocational learning through self- and peer assessment. It begins with a theoretical analysis of challenges in developing, observing, and assessing social competencies in project-based learning. Based on the theoretical foundation, the paper discusses self- and peer assessment as a didactic strategy and outlines how a digital tool, specifically a Moodle plugin, can support its implementation. Finally, it reflects on implications and emerging challenges based on initial experiences with the tool in practice.

Teachers are expected to promote self-directed learning while simultaneously ensuring effective collaboration and task completion within teams. To adequately support and assess student learning, they require insights into the often hidden group dynamics. However, making these dynamics visible through observation, targeted questions, or feedback tools can be time-consuming and may interfere with students’ autonomy. Teachers also face the challenges of fairly assessing individual performance in situations where contributions are rarely transparent. Observations may be influenced by strategic self-presentation from students, and peer feedback often reflects social dynamics rather than actual engagement in the learning process.

Therefore, this paper discusses self- and peer assessment as an approach to address the instructional challenges outlined above. When integrated into the project process, these assessments can encourage learners to reflect on their roles and interactions, thus supporting self-regulation. Simultaneously, teachers gain valuable insights aiding them in their decisions on how to guide collaborative processes. Moreover, self- and peer feedback provide a basis for making individual contributions visible, which can be incorporated into both formative feedback and summative assessments. To illustrate how this approach can be supported digitally, this paper presents the concept and practical application of a Moodle plugin currently under development. The tool allows learners to complete structured self- and peer-assessment questionnaires tailored to various project formats, phases, and learner groups.

Based on the initial implementation of the plugin in vocational project settings, this paper reflects on implications that arise when teachers incorporate digital self- and peer assessment into their practice. While the plugin largely fulfilled its intended purpose of facilitating reflection and increasing transparency in group collaboration, some previously identified challenges persisted, and new ones emerged. Although digital tools can support project-based learning, the development of social competencies within this context remains complex and necessitates a deliberate instructional design.

Keywords: Collaborative learning, project-based learning, social competence, self- and peer assessment, digital learning tools.