Feedback is more than a score or letter grade

Dr. Rosemary Cleveland – GVSU FacultyCollege of Education

Kimberly Kenward – GVSU Instructional DesignerAcademic Computing

Setting the Stage

• Successful online/hybrid faculty are well

organized and have a genuine interest in helping their students learn.

• Successful online students are self-motivated and independent learners.

• Written and oral feedback is even more critical in the success of an online/hybrid student

Setting the Stage

• Give frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students' beliefs that they can do well.

• Ensure opportunities for students' success by assigning tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult (scaffold assignments)

• Help students find personal meaning/value in the material and connecting that meaning to real-life application

• Create an atmosphere that is open and positive. • Help students feel that they are valued members of a

learning community.

Setting the Stage continued…

• Make feedback another part of the learning process. • Ask students to provide feedback. Students can monitor

and provide feedback to other students, as well as compare their work to criteria.

• Engage students in review of their own work and others. This can be very effective using the wiki tool, the group pages discussion board, and the file exchange.

• Use rubrics. Rubrics provide criteria against which students can compare their learning. Even better, involve students in developing rubrics. Rubrics help students focus their effort.

Objectives

• Although there are many tools that can be used to provide feedback, this presentation, will showcase how Blackboard allows for a variety of personal/private feedback using the Wimba Voice tool, journal entries, and detailed “personal” feedback in the Grade Center.

Background Information

• Course Development History for EDG633 & EDG638 (Dr. Cleveland)– Constructivist approach (feedback is used to help the

student take control and find success in their learning)– Piloting of Wimba Voice (2010)– Journals vs. Discussion Board (scaffolding of

assignments)– Feedback mid-semester surveys

• The role of the instructional designer & faculty member (Kim Kenward)– Support and technical considerations for Wimba

Wimba Voice Announcements• Students appreciate hearing the instructor’s

voice prior to the 1st f2f session• If there are no f2f sessions, Wimba voice gives

a “personal” element to the instructor

Wimba Voice

• Wimba Voice allows for quick audio feedback. It's like sitting down and having a conversation with a student.

• Wimba reduces the amount of time that it takes to respond to students. Most faculty can talk faster than they can type.

• It allows for more constructive feedback. The feedback comes so much easier and more complete when I'm speaking rather than writing.

Mid-Semester Survey

Answers Percent Answered

True 72.727%False 27.273%

Do the Voice Announcements enhance the instructor’s presence and involvement with course materials?

Wimba Voice Grade Center

“I think that adding the Wimba voice file to my grade comments was worthwhile. It adds a personal feel to the online course. It is good to receive audible feedback which contains many elements that are lacking in written feedback.”(Lisa, online student, October 2011)

Grade Center Written Feedback

Discussion Board Private Feedbackusing the Grade Tool

The role of the Journal

• Journaling often remains an underused learning tool in an online/hybrid course.

• Journaling is an excellent tool to supplement the discussion board and encourages students’ personal and professional growth and development.

• Journaling promotes individual self-discovery in a confidential manner (sometimes students may often include personal information).

Additional Journal Purposes

• Maps, charts & graphs• Hyperlinks to web resources• File attachments

Mid-Semester Survey

How has private journal entries assisted your mastery of course content?

-The private journals offer great reflection and connection to own personal teaching experiences in conjunction with the authors and the readings.

-The private journal has caused me to reflect on my readings and has helped me to comprehend the content.

Mid-Semester Survey

-The discussion board questions help guide my reading, the journals force me to really reflect upon what I am learning.

-The journal lets you say what you want with only the instructor viewing it. It makes you feel comfortable so you can be more truthful and upfront when writing. The journals have made me look at myself and apply what we are reading to my life and future career.

Journal Feedback Tips

• Don't delay feedback. The longer students have to wait for feedback, the weaker the connection to their effort becomes, and the less likely they are to benefit.

• Be encouraging and appreciative of their views.

• Quality responses in the part of the instructor tend to increase the quality of the journal responses from the students.

Journal Feedback

• Give frequent, early, positive feedback

Journal Considerations

Consider putting all therequirements into a folder

for easy access and “at-a-glance” referral.

Additional thoughts…

• Help students get it right. If students know you want to see them succeed, and you're willing to help explain how, their learning improves.

• Give students opportunities to improve, try again, and get it right. This might not be appropriate with every assignment, but allowing resubmissions goes a long way in helping student’s master course content.

• In addition to detailed feedback, providing exemplar work also goes a long way in helping students understand what's a "A" paper or project.

Questions