Quality Feedback

Below are some suggestions for providing quality feedback to students.

Provide constructive response. In the online environment, the faculty is an integral part of the course and program experience. The faculty member serves as a facilitator, content expert, and consultant. It is the contribution of the faculty that differentiates interactive online learning from correspondence learning. The faculty role is not merely grading assignments but facilitating the acquisition of knowledge. As such, provide constructive feedback to learners; you are required to provide written feedback and encouraged to provide it in audio form in the D2L classroom. Our learners indicate their delight with audio feedback.

Don’t be too brief. Encouragement is good but “thanks for the submission, good job” does not have any instructional value to the learner. Learners have indicated that even when they get a good score on an assignment, they want to know why it was correct, what part of the assignment was most on target, and how they can extend their learning.

Give feedback sooner than later. Faculty are required to provide feedback within 7 days of the end of a course module. However, learners enjoy receiving feedback as quickly as possible. It helps them know how they can improve a future assignment before that assignment is due.

Present the feedback carefully. How faculty presents feedback can have an impact on how learners receive it. Couch feedback in positive terms. For example, use a sandwich method by first telling the learner what they did correctly, then where they need improvement, and finishing up with exact directions for how to improve. Don’t hesitate to give specific praise where it’s been earned.

Take the individual learner into account. It can be easy to provide standardized feedback. Consider the importance to the learner of them knowing you have customized the feedback for their individual submission.

Remediation is an important component of the evaluation and grading process. If a student gets the wrong answer, guide them to the correct answer or the process to reach the correct answer. In some instances, you may need to provide individual guidance to “walk a learner” through the process of a procedural type of assignment. Any points deducted from an assignment should be explained.

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