1. Technology, Feedback, Action!: The impact of learning technology upon students' engagement with their feedback Stuart Hepplestone S.J.Hepplestone@shu.ac.uk Senior Lecturer in Curriculum Innovation Learning and Teaching Institute

2. Structure of presentation Project overview Method Headlines from the literature Emerging findings Project deliverables and outcomes Audience questions and discussion

3. Project overview Potential of technology-enabled feedback to improve student learning 12-month project, funded by the Higher Education Academy EvidenceNet - http://evidencenet.pbwiki.com/http://evidencenet.pbwiki.com/ Evaluate technical interventions: –Blackboard Grade Centre for online publication of feedback and marks –Adaptive release of marks through Assignment HandlerAdaptive release of marks –Feedback Wizard linking feedback to learning outcomeslinking feedback to learning outcomes Exploring: –logistical benefits (convenience, ease of access, legibility) –learning benefits (aligning feedback to learning outcomes, deep reflection, action planning)

4. Method Literature review: –good feedback practice –application of technology to support delivery and use of feedback –published via EvidenceNet at: http://tinyurl.com/c8uoljhttp://tinyurl.com/c8uolj Semi-structured interviews –30 undergraduate students (Level 5) –6 - 8 students from each Faculty: Arts, Computing, Engineering & Science - Computer Networks Development & Society - Psychology Health & Wellbeing - Diagnostic Radiography Organisation & Management - Events Management

5. Headlines from literature: current issues Traditional feedback practices are not effective: –bunching of assessment tasks limits scope for feed-forward –student dissatisfaction with timeliness and usefulness of feedback (National Student Survey) Staff complain that feedback does not work: –students fail to act on feedback –students are only concerned with their mark –is this based on anecdotal evidence from tutors? –call for further research

6. Headlines from literature: improving student engagement with feedback Disengaging the mark from feedback Development of reflective skills/personal development planning Feedback grids Technology-enabled feedback: –feedback by email/VLE is private and convenient … –…and legible –electronic marking sheets and comment banks linking feedback to learning outcomes

7. Emerging findings: logistical benefits #1 Convenience, ease of access and timely feedback: –Grade Centre allows quick access to marks, feedback and submitted work, and enables students to track their performance on each module: 'I'll get my grade quickly…if it's a paper submission …I don't have to go and find [that paper submission] again to find out what my grade was…I can access it from anywhere' 'You get all the subject matter on Blackboard anyway, so it's easy to get hold of, then you've got your assignments and your answers to them and your feedback' 'Read it at your convenience' 'Just to know what my progress is in the module…do I need to start really kicking myself into shape to work harder?' –An overall course overview?: 'I've got a spreadsheet at home with all my grades on… and look for trends'

8. Emerging findings: logistical benefits #2 Legibility and structure of feedback: –Use of typed feedback/track changes: 'If they've [provided feedback] on Blackboard they tend to have to think about it before they type it' 'You can see exactly which bits have got their attention…it makes it easy to see how you can improve next time because you know what they're looking for' 'Annotated right next to the point they're talking about'

9. Emerging findings: learning benefits #1 Adaptive release of marks to support deep reflection and action planning: –'I think it's a good idea in principle, because it does help you track your feedback and improve yourself on it' –'I wrote down what I thought about their feedback…I thought it would be helpful to me, so I took it quite seriously…you can set yourself targets' –However: It is seen as a 'carrot and stick' approach - 'I've already done the work so why can't I just have the grade with my feedback?' 'The first few times I would look at the comments and think about what do I need to improve but…I've stopped doing it and I just press submit' 'I think I get an email that actually confirms my grade…but I don't store that one anyway' –Would more explanation around the process help?: 'I didn't quite understand the process' '…just a little help note'

10. Emerging findings: learning benefits #2 Linking feedback to learning outcomes: –Considered important: 'Because normally you do your assessment to the criteria' –However: 'You never really see the assessment criteria that you're being marked against…how can you as a student push yourself to get better grades?' Other methods of engaging with feedback: –Peer-to-peer feedback and Blackboard discussion forums: 'You can ask questions and get feedback tailored to what you're after, which is quite useful as…you can improve on it afterwards' 'You could see what other people thought' –Speak to tutors: 'I generally…take on board the comments…I'll go and speak to the lecturer concerned and say 'Look, you've marked me down on this area of the assignment, where can I improve?''

11. Project deliverables and outcomes Contribute to the understanding and development of technology- enhanced feedback: –final report to the Higher Education Academy EvidenceNet –good practice guides for the application of technology to deliver actionable feedback –wiki - literature review, discussion articles, voluntary submission of TFA case studies –You are invited to read, comment and contribute to the literature review at: http://tinyurl.com/c8uolj http://tinyurl.com/c8uolj

12. Audience questions and discussion

13. Adaptive release of marks Back

14. Sample feedback sheet Back