Providing Feedback is critical in the facilitation of an online course. This video and article provide an overview of key concepts and methods for providing timely and effective feedback to your students.
Providing Feedback
The following YouTube video is a presentation by Dr. Curtis Bonk, Professor of Education from Indiana University. In this video, he provides practical tips and suggestions for providing feedback in the online setting.
Feedback Scenarios
Feedback Scenario 1
In a software development project management course, students are working on a semester-long project that requires them to submit deliverables every two weeks. The students’ project proposals are due at the end of Module 3. In the project documentation, the instructor explains that she will approve and provide feedback for the project proposals within one week of the due date (i.e., by the end of Module 4). It is now day 5 of Module 5, and the students have not heard back from the instructor on their project proposals. Their project planning document is due on day 7 of Module 5.
Scenario 1 Prompts
- How might the students be impacted by the instructor’s lack of timely feedback?
- How might her lack of timely feedback impact the instructor?
Feedback Scenario 2
In an advanced digital filters course, students submit PDF screenshots of lines of code and the raw MATLAB m-files as they learn various aspects of designing digital filters each week. The instructor downloads the PDF screenshots and provides annotated feedback in Acrobat Professional. In his annotations, he underlines erroneous parts of the code. He does not explain that his underlining indicates errors. At the top of the screenshot puts a check-mark and writes, “Ok,” and then saves the PDF and returns it to his students.
Scenario 2 Prompts
- How might the students be impacted by the instructor’s lack of meaningful feedback?
- What could the instructor do to increase the meaningfulness of his feedback?
Additional Resources
The following resources provide for further study of this topic.
- iOn (n.d.). Illinois Online Network: Your source for technology-enhanced and online education information. Retrieved from http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/communication/feedback.asp
- Brighthub.com (n.d.). Tips for giving online class feedback and constructive criticism. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/education/online-learning/articles/35429.aspx
- NETnet: The Northeast Texas Distance Learning Consortium. (n.d.). Distance education feedback strategies.