Lana Rocca

Director, Learning Solutions

Product Strategy, Innovation, and Development

Laureate Network Office

April 2016

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Providing Effective Feedback in the Online Classroom

“We all need people who will give us feedback.

That’s how we improve.”

- Bill Gates

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What is Feedback?

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Grade or Score

Evaluation

Advice

Praise

Critique

Lecture

Clarified Instructions

Report Card

What is Feedback?

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“Basically, feedback is information about how we are doing in our efforts to reach a goal.”

- Grant Wiggins

Effective Feedback is…

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• Related to goal(s)

• Descriptive

• Specific/targeted

• Constructive

• Formative

• Iterative

• Timely

• Actionable

Types of Feedback

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• Instructor-Student

• Peer-to-Peer

• Group

• Student self-evaluation + instructor consultation

Importance to Online Learning• Lack of feedback often cited

as the reason for withdrawing from online courses

• Self-directed learning and student ownership in the learning process are promoted

• Consistency is key: Ambiguity in online learning can make or break a positive student experience

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Importance to Online Learning

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• Online Instructor “presence” is critical to student engagement

• Timely feedback can decrease feelings of isolation for online students

• Peer or group feedback encourages “connectedness” among students

Feedback Strategies• Teach practice feedback

assess… REPEAT

• Be cognizant of frequency/timing of feedback

• Integrate diverse feedback methods, such as self-reflection and peer review

• Provide rubrics/expectations upfront, and adhere to those criteria

• Remember that feedback is a two-way street

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“Effective feedback directs attention to the intended learning, pointing out strengths and offering specific information to guideimprovement.”-Jan Chappuis

Effective or Not?• “Nice job! You met all of the

criteria stated in the rubric.”

• “Next time, you should try to make your thesis clearer to the reader.”

• “You taught me something I didn’t know. That’s awesome!”

• “Great improvement. Nice integration of prior feedback.”

• “Your lesson would be more effective if your visuals were more polished and supportive of the theme.”

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Effective! • “Your presentation was well-researched and showed evidence of critical, higher-ordered thinking.”

• “I noticed that when you applied the ABC principle to approach this problem, you were able to accurately articulate your premise.”

• “The points you provided are integral to helping your audience understand your argument.”

• “If you were teaching this class, what would you do differently? What did you learn the most from me as a teacher?”

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Q & A

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Sources

Bonnel, W. (2008). Improving feedback to students in online courses. Nursing Education Perspectives, 29(5), 290-294.

Chan, P.E., Konrad, M. Gonzalez, V., Peters, M.T., and Ressa, V.A. (2014). The critical role of feedback in formative instructional practices. Intervention in School and Clinic, 50(2), 96-104.

Chappuis, J. (2012). How am I doing? Educational Leadership, 70(1), 36-40. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept12/vol70/num01/%C2%A3How-Am-I-Doing%C2%A2%C2%A3.aspx

Hattie, J. and Timperly, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112.

Reynolds, L. (2013). 20 Ways to provide effective feedback for learning. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/assessment/20-ways-to-provide-effective-feedback-for-learning/

Stenger, M. (2014). Five research-based tips for providing students with meaningful feedback. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/tips-providing-students-meaningful-feedback-marianne-stenger

Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven Keys to Effective Feedback. Educational Leadership, 70(1), 10-16. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept12/vol70/num01/Seven-Keys-to-Effective-Feedback.aspx