Meaningful Feedback in the Online Learning Environment

1. Meaningful Feedback in the Online Learning Environment By Jenna Linskens Northcentral University Prescott Valley, AZ ELT7008-8-6

2. Focus Concepts: Definition of Feedback Importance of Meaningful Feedback Benefits of Feedback Strategies for Meaningful Feedback Final Thoughts

3. Definition of Feedback “Feedback is information about how a student has performed in relation to some standard or goal (knowledge of results)” (Nicol and Milligan, 2006, p. 1).

4. Compared Feedback Constructivist Theory of Feedback Cognitive Theory of Feedback Cognitive theorists recognize that learning involves “associations established through contiguity and repetition. They also acknowledge the importance of reinforcement, and stress its role in providing feedback about the correctness of the response over its role as a motivator” (Good & Brophy, 1990, as cited by Mergel, 1998, p. 7). • Constructivism stresses that “meaning is a function of how the individual creates meaning from his or her experiences and actions” (Jonassen, 1991, as cited by Dabbagh & Bannan-Ritland, 2005, p.167). • Feedback “creates a point of connection between participants and allows them to look at their ideas in another light” (Palloff & Pratt, 2007, p. 179).

5. Importance of Meaningful Feedback “Students learn faster and more effectively when they are provided with the feedback of their current performance and what might be needed in order to improve” (Balaji & Chakrabarti, 2010, p. 6).

6. Results of Feedback In a Learner-Centered Environment In an Instructor-Led Environment Provides organized instruction Enhances the learner’s self control of information processing Relies on learning strategies to facilitate understanding Focuses on performance mastery Supports learning strategies that promote articulation of understanding and reflection on performance • Encourages meaningful dialogue • Increases collaboration • Promotes peer and self-evaluation • Builds a sense of community • Prompts reflection • Allows students to summarize, evaluate and construct broader connections

7. Benefits of Feedback “The e-moderator has a critical role to play in identifying key issues remaining to be addressed, making explicit ideas or issues that have newly emerged, [and] suggesting paths for further development” (Benfield, 2002, p. 4).

8. Good Feedback Practice • helps clarify what good performance is (goals, criteria, expected standards); • facilitates the development of reflection and self-assessment in learning; • delivers high quality information to students about their learning; • encourages teacher and peer dialogue around learning; • encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem; • provides opportunities to close the gap between current and desired performance; • provides information to teachers that can be used to help shape the teaching.

9. Strategies for Meaningful Feedback “External feedback should focus on scaffolding students towards greater self-regulation in learning” (Nicol and Milligan, 2006, p. 1).

10. Best eLearning Practices 4 Prompt Feedback • Video • Prompt feedback is attained through: online quizzes, layered responses, online surveys, emails, and chat forums, all completed in a timely manner. • How to improve feedback: escape distractions, be more specific, asking probing questions, using peer evaluations, recycling responses, and increasing 1:1 feedback, managing time better, tagging comments, using chat rooms for more immediate feedback, triaging questions, improving time management skills, and using the cut & paste features.

11. Instructor’s Role in Feedback In the Constructivist Theory of Feedback In the Cognitive Theory of Feedback Lecturer The delivery of curriculum and instruction is the central focus of the course. Feedback is limited to successful completion and understanding of specific goals often times measured through standardized assessment • Facilitator, mentor or coach • Feedback occurs through online discussions with periodic and timely summaries, timely feedback to questions, and written acknowledgment or confirmation, and affirmation to work and participation through praise and reassurance.

12. Guidelines for Feedback • Plan ahead, don’t make up the feedback • Think first, get your thoughts straight before you type • Make notes, figure out what you want to say • Use short paragraphs, less is more • Make it clear, the reader needs to be able to understand what you are saying • Don’t over quote, and then say “I agree”, summarize the message and add your comment • Don’t just agree (or disagree) with the writer, tell why you feel a certain way and support it with facts • Read through before clicking submit, check for spelling & grammatical errors and that the message is appropriate without being demeaning or insulting • Provide feedback in a timely manner, don’t wait until the end, which can result in feeling rushed and providing less meaningful feedback

13. Final Thoughts “Detailed instructions provided for completing the activities, regular feedback from the instructor and increased communication among students encourages greater participation” in an online environment (Balaji & Chakrabarti, 2010, p. 16).

14. The Empowered Learner: A Constructivist View • The more we engage students in self-evaluation, the more meaningful the course. • The more we engage students in collaborative activities and assessments, the longer the learning community will last • The more meaningful the course, the more likely to build lifelong learners • “Learning online is about inclusion, caring, and inquiry. It is a co-constructed learning environment” (Palloff & Pratt, 2005, p. 53).

15. References Alley, L.R. & Jansak, K.E. (2001, Winter). The ten keys to quality assurance and assessment in online learning. Journal of Interactive Instruction Development, (13)3, 3-18. Balaji, M.S. & Chakrabarti, D. (2010, Spring). Student interactions in online discussion forum: Empirical research from ‘media richness theory’ perspective. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 9(1), 1-22. Benfield, G. (2002, June 27). Designing and managing effective online discussions. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development Learning and Teaching Briefing Papers Series. Retrieved from http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsd/2_learntch/briefing_papers/online_discussions.pdf   Dabbagh, N. & Bannan-Ritland, B. (2005). Online learning: Concepts, strategies, and application. Columbus, OH: Pearson. *Lee, J., Carter-Wells, J., Glaeser, B., Ivers, K., & Street, C. (2006). Facilitating the development of a learning community in an online graduate program. Quarterly Review of Distance Education. (7)1 pp. 13-33. Retrieved from Proquest. Nicol, D.J. & Milligan, C. (2006). Rethinking technology-supported assessment in relation to the seven principals of good feedback practice. Innovative Assessment in Higher Education. London: Taylor and Francis Group Ltd. Palloff, R.M. & Pratt, K. (2005). Collaborating online: Learning together in community. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Palloff, R.M. & Pratt, K. (Ed.) (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Vonderwell, S., Liang, X., & Alderman, K. (2007, Spring). Asynchronous discussions and assessment in online learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 39(3), 309-328. Retrieved from ProQuest. Winegar, M. & Burns, E. (2012). Best eLearning Practices 4 Prompt Feedback [Video]. Retrieved from YouTube http://youtu.be/TPsaQRYG3d0