● how do i provide written feedback in an online environment? ● how can i provide clear...
TRANSCRIPT
● How do I provide written feedback in an online environment?
● How can I provide clear explanations and constructively address errors when I am not face-to-face with a student?
● Will my tone seem too critical? ● Why isn’t the student understanding and
implementing my comments?● How can I address different learning styles
online?
Feedback on Written Works in an Online Environment
Feedback on Written Works in an Online Environment
Rachel Grammer and Amy LindquistWalden University
● Writing instructors in a writing center at a fully online university
● Background
http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/
Who we are and what we do
● Paper review appointments
● Short answers, e-mail● Webinars, podcasts,
blog, material development for website
Who we work with
● Graduate and doctoral students● Undergraduate students● Mostly nontraditional students● Students seeking a higher degree after
being out of school/university for years● Many multilingual and international
students
Purpose
To discuss ● what we do
o Provide feedback to students in various online formats
● how we do ito Feedback tools and strategies
Paper Review Logistics
● Asynchronouso Asynchronous vs. synchronous
● Scheduling systemo Platform for making appts.; student privacy
concerns; e-mail vs. in-person● Appointment form
o Goal setting; student concerns; student’s articulation of writing process
● MS Word and commenting featureso Consider resources available, familiarity of
students with technology, etc.● Follow up
o Measure application of feedback and writing progression
● 30 minuteso time limit; focus; enforced selection of topic
Paper Review Logistics (cont.)
How we give feedback
How we give feedbackGeneral considerations:➔ Focus➔ Language choices
(metalinguistic knowledge)
Tone:➔ Direct vs. Indirect➔ Specificity➔ Constructive and
positive
Focus
➔ Organization/content◆ Paragraphs, thesis
statement, topic sentences, support
➔ Grammar◆ Mark, explain, and give
resources about the first instance of a type of error; mark additional instances; tell writer to look out for more
➔ 2-3 Major issues◆ Read for a few minutes
and take note of 2-3 patterns, comment only on those patterns
➔ Student-elected area of concern
Language choices
➔ Anticipate students’ metalinguistic knowledge
Example:
“High school students need motivation to be success in their future careers.”
Tone
➔ Direct vs. Indirect, Specificity◆ “In this paragraph, I would add a topic
sentence.”◆ “You might want to change ________.”◆ “Grammar error.”◆ “In this paragraph you do not have a topic
sentence. Each paragraph needs a clear topic sentence to guide the reader. A topic sentence is...”
◆ Give action steps.
Tone
➔ Constructive/Positive feedback◆ It’s easy to focus on the
mistakes mistakes and things that need to “get fixed”.
◆ Don’t forget to encourage writers.
“I see some great progress since our last appointment.
This is a strong thesis statement; it
effectively captures the
overall purpose and argument of
your paper.”
How we give feedbackModeling:● Giving options● Students’ work as model
Differentiated learning strategies:● Highlighting/Color coding ● Audio comments● Bubble comments and track changes● Categorizing/Coding● External resources
Giving Options
Modeling
Highlighting/Color Coding
Audio/Video Comments
See an example video here: http://screencast.com/t/qcbrfQtZn
Bubble Comments and Track Changes
Categorizing/Coding
External Resources
Questions?
List of Tools and Links
Jing Videos: http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html Microsoft Word Support (Track Changes): http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ and http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/ASCsoftware/word Walden Writing Center: http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/
