“It’s like fifty-fifty”: Using the Student Voice towards Enhancing Undergraduates’ Engagement with Online Feedback Provision

Abstract

Reflecting the continuing change in higher education student experiences in light of the electronic age it is crucial to examine whether digital feedback provision approaches are seen as helpful in promoting self-regulated learning. In the present study students (N = 99) completed a survey examining preferences and gathering initial qualitative data. A sub-set (N = 18) took part in focus groups. In line with trends observed in previous research, a high proportion of students preferred submitting work and accessing feedback online. Attitudes towards the shift from hard copy to online feedback provision were largely positive, focusing on improved aspects of spatial and temporal distance. However, the student insight also highlighted concerns around communication and motivation to engage with feedback, indicating there is a need for appropriate training to support the access to feedback and how to engage in post-feedback communication beyond the computer screen.

Student access of online feedback is modified by the availability of assessment marks, gender and academic performance

“…The seemingly simple act of needing to download a separate feedback file appeared to lower students' willingness to access the feedback file at all. Technological barriers associated with electronic feedback files may further reduce access to supplementary feedback by hindering accessibility (Hast & Healy, ). For example, the access of supplementary feedback files outside of the LMS web interface may require proprietary software, which may not be installed on devices that students use more regularly than desktops, such as mobile phones (Gikas & Grant, ; Taleb & Sohrabi, ).…”

“…Learning management systems (LMS, also known as content management systems, virtual learning environments and e‐Learning platforms) are now used ubiquitously across the higher education sector (Browne, Jenkins, & Walker, ) and can serve as a permanent feedback repository that can be remotely accessed, which is considered to be one of its main benefits (Hepplestone, Holden, Irwin, Parkin, & Thorpe, ; Parkin et al , ). LMS allow students to access feedback files repeatedly, which can increase the value students attach to feedback (Parkin et al , ) and students may also prefer to access and process their feedback online and in private (Bridge & Appleyard, ; Hast & Healy, ). Furthermore, LMS facilitate the delivery of detailed electronic feedback (with or without marks), such as Word documents with track changes, and initial evidence suggests that this form of feedback is particularly effective at improving student writing skills (A. AbuSeileek, ; AbuSeileek & Abualsha'r, ; Al‐Olimat & AbuSeileek, ).…”