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ComPAIR

github.com

WebSelf-hosted
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Spec score 7.8 #7 of 17 in Peer Assessment Software

What it is

ComPAIR is a self-hosted web application for peer review in which students compare pairs of work and give feedback with both answers in view. Instructors can enable adaptive scores based on comparison outcomes and use them to assemble later pairs. The application has student, instructor, and system administrator roles with distinct permissions, plus rubric scoring and moderation tools. It supports LTI login, course membership, and grade updates; administrators configure LTI consumers with a key and secret. Documented authentication options also include username and password, CAS, and SAML 2.0. Learning analytics can be sent to a Learning Record Store through xAPI or Caliper, though both are disabled by default. The default attachment limit is 250 MB, with PDF, audio, video, and image extensions allowed. Administrators can manage whether instructors see student email addresses and CAS/SAML usernames; those fields are disabled by default. ComPAIR is open source under GPL-3.0 and freely available to download, install, and use. Its README documents deployment with Docker Compose, with access at localhost:8080. The tool is described as suitable for higher education and K-12 communities.

Spec sheet

Purpose
ComPAIR is a peer review application that pairs student answers so students can compare peer work and give feedback.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Intended users
UBC describes ComPAIR as a tool for instructors and students to conduct peer assessment by comparing answers and providing feedback.Read 30 Sep 2026 · ctlt.ubc.ca
Deployment
The README documents running ComPAIR with Docker Compose and accessing it at localhost:8080.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Integrations
The application supports LTI login and course membership and grade updates for LTI consumers.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Support
The ComPAIR site says its support site has moved to compair.open.ubc.ca.Read 29 Sep 2026 · ubc.github.io
License
The repository is licensed under GPL-3.0.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Founded
2002Read 28 Sep 2026 · github.com
Adaptive scoring
Instructors can enable scores that adapt to how an answer performs in each comparison, and those scores can be used to generate subsequent pairs.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Attachments
The default attachment upload limit is 250 MB, with PDF, audio, video, and image extensions listed as allowed by default.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Authentication
Documented login options include username and password, CAS, SAML 2.0, and LTI, with at least one authentication option required.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Availability
The project says it is freely available for anyone to download, install, and use.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Comparison-based review
Instead of evaluating one work at a time, students compare paired sets of peer work.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Email notifications
Application-wide email notifications are disabled by default, and users can disable notifications for themselves when they are enabled.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Learning analytics
ComPAIR can collect learning analytics using xAPI and/or Caliper, and either requires a Learning Record Store.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
License and availability
The project is open source under GPL-3.0 and described as freely available to download, install, and use.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
LTI setup
LTI consumers are configured by a system administrator using a consumer key and secret.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Media integration
Kaltura uploads can be enabled as an optional media attachment integration, and the README says only version 3 of the Kaltura API is supported.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Peer feedback
Students can refer to both answers in a pair when writing feedback, which the site says can support richer feedback and deeper critical thinking.Read 29 Sep 2026 · compair.open.ubc.ca
Privacy settings
Administrators can control whether instructors can access student email addresses and CAS/SAML usernames; those fields are disabled by default.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Roles
ComPAIR provides student, instructor, and system administrator roles with different permissions.Read 29 Sep 2026 · ubc.github.io
Student data controls
Settings control whether instructors can see student email addresses and third-party usernames, and whether students can edit profile fields such as their name and email.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Technology
The README describes a JavaScript frontend using AngularJS and Bootstrap, with a Python Flask backend and Flask SQLAlchemy for database persistence.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Transport security setting
The README says SSL enforcement for requests through LTI and CAS is enabled by default and should only be disabled for development or staging.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Students compare paired work and give feedback on both answers.
  • Adaptive scores can shape subsequent pairs.
  • Supports LTI login, course membership, and grade updates.
  • Rubric scoring and moderation tools are included.
  • Free to download, install, and use under GPL-3.0.

Limits

  • Self-hosted deployment is documented with Docker Compose.
  • Analytics through xAPI and Caliper are disabled by default.
  • Default attachment limit is 250 MB.
  • Kaltura integration supports only version 3 of its API.

Who it suits

ComPAIR suits higher education and K-12 communities that want students to review paired work. Its separate student, instructor, and system administrator roles support distinct permissions.

Verdict

ComPAIR specifies a peer-review workflow built around comparisons, with adaptive scoring, rubric scoring, and moderation. Its LTI support and configurable roles are useful details for education deployments, while analytics integrations require enabling.

Where Specifiction places it

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