Getting Vocal About Feedback

Malcolm MactavishSchool of Computing & Engineering

SystemsAbertay University

m.mactavish@abertay.ac.uk

The Problem:

• Large classes submitting complex assessments (mainly practical coursework)

• Desire to optimise student performance

Ideally:

• Set milestones through the project …• … review student progress at each …• … and provide formative feedback• Students take account of feedback to

reinforce early work …• … resulting in improved final submissions

The Problem:

• Feedback is necessary• Don't have enough time to give all

the feedback I want

The Result:

• Weaker students submit poor work and get poor grades …

•… if they submit anything at all !

A Solution?

• Reduce time spent on feedback by recording comments rather than writing them

Trial run over three sessions, and using three different systems:

• Email attachment• Email with link to file• Email with link to file + PIN number

Email Attachment:

• Great for small files …• … but larger files might exceed any

maximum size for attachments

Email With Link (URL) To File:

• audio file is saved on a web server• an email is created• email contains a link to the

student's audio file• other students can 'hack' their own

link to retrieve other students' files

Email With Link To File + PIN number:

• audio files are stored in a 'secret' location

• system creates the email as before• BUT also generates a random four-digit

number• student follows the link and enters their

PIN

Email With Link To File + PIN number:

• the student's download can be detected and recorded …

•… so that take-up can be monitored and gauged

Results?

• Feedback for good students takes very little time to record …

• … leaving more time to devote to weaker students …

Results?

• … we can give more feedback overall than we could be writing it out …

• … and, for example, vocal inflection helps us place more emphasis on important areas

Results?

• Students almost universally in favour• Perhaps predictably, the better students

more likely to retrieve feedback …•… much of the extended feedback to

weaker students went unheard.•However, tracking of downloads allowed

follow-up with these students

Results?

• UAD grading scale is 0-20

– grades 0-3 are irretrievable fails– 6-8 are Marginal Fails– 9-11 are 'pass by skin of teeth'

Results?

• With audio feedback, – no improvement on irretrievable fails– fewer marginal fails– average improvement of 2 points in

the bands 6-14

Potential Elephant Traps:

• Once you've said something, you've said it

• To revise your feedback could mean re-recording from scratch

• You may regret some or all of the following …

Potential Elephant Traps:

•You may regret what you thought were …

– innocent, ad hoc remarks–comments that you think are

constructive but which the students views otherwise

Potential Elephant Traps:

•You may regret what you thought were …

–comments intended within the context of a particular assignment …

–… but the student interprets within a wider context

Potential Elephant Traps:

•You may regret what you thought were …

–comments intended to show the student an effective approach …

–… while the student thinks you're clearly wrong because they know a 'better' way

However …

Don't we get these very same problems with written feedback?

Important End Note:

Following a subsequent policy decision, all work had to be given written feedback

No scope to provide both written and audio feedback

Grades fell back – roughly to pre-audio levels