Answer: How do communication practices in the online environment correlate to effective feedback? Why is authentic feedback important for online learners? In what ways might an instructor enrich a student’s online experience through feedback?
Continuous communication and effective feedback are both directly linked to student success, especially in an online environment. Students in a hybrid or online course often miss out on the informal forms of feedback that students would receive a traditional classroom: Q&A with the teacher, reading the teacher's body language and facial expressions during conversations, being able to engage in discussions. It's crucial that online instructors maintain open lines of communication and multiple means of communication to "pick up the slack" in these areas.
Authentic feedback is important for online learners -- as it is for any learner -- because it gives them an idea of where they stand with regard to the standards or learning objectives. No matter the form or medium, effective feedback provides a student with a thoughtful, specific, and timely review of their work and effort; it helps them understand where their strengths and weaknesses lie. And it helps them stay motivated for success.
Specific, authentic, frequent feedback is crucial for keeping an online student engaged, on track, and motivated. Those who don't feel engaged or supported are significantly less likely to succeed, especially in a self-directed online environment. Therefore, online instructors should provide frequent, varied, and specific comments on student work.
This may in the form of a written comment about their work...
Comments or questions from the teacher on a discussion board that shows you're actually reading their posts/comments...
or a personal feedback video...
Either way, communicating with our students is our means of helping students know where they are in their progress through the content AND helping know that no matter where they are in the process, we're there to support them.
Continuous communication and effective feedback are both directly linked to student success, especially in an online environment. Students in a hybrid or online course often miss out on the informal forms of feedback that students would receive a traditional classroom: Q&A with the teacher, reading the teacher's body language and facial expressions during conversations, being able to engage in discussions. It's crucial that online instructors maintain open lines of communication and multiple means of communication to "pick up the slack" in these areas.
Authentic feedback is important for online learners -- as it is for any learner -- because it gives them an idea of where they stand with regard to the standards or learning objectives. No matter the form or medium, effective feedback provides a student with a thoughtful, specific, and timely review of their work and effort; it helps them understand where their strengths and weaknesses lie. And it helps them stay motivated for success.
Specific, authentic, frequent feedback is crucial for keeping an online student engaged, on track, and motivated. Those who don't feel engaged or supported are significantly less likely to succeed, especially in a self-directed online environment. Therefore, online instructors should provide frequent, varied, and specific comments on student work.
This may in the form of a written comment about their work...
Comments or questions from the teacher on a discussion board that shows you're actually reading their posts/comments...
or a personal feedback video...
Either way, communicating with our students is our means of helping students know where they are in their progress through the content AND helping know that no matter where they are in the process, we're there to support them.
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