Providing feedback to post -secondary students: Alternative methods for instructors
Abstract
This dissertation project evaluated a workshop designed for university instructors to disseminate knowledge about alternative means for giving feedback to students. This workshop discussed several feedback methods for use in college classrooms including written feedback (marginalia), feedback given on audio and video tapes, conferences, and computer-aided feedback alternatives such as electronic mail, electronic conferencing, use of computer disks, computer generated comment banks, and combining teachers' voices and images into the feedback system. The literature review, in Chapter 2, describes the slate of feedback alternatives listed above. It offers advantages, disadvantages, and suggestions for the use of each of the methods. From this review, a guide for instructors was developed. The workshop was offered by the Center for Instructional Services at Purdue University in October, 1997. Eight instructors attended the session. Three months after the workshop, participants were mailed short questionnaires to determine the participants' perceptions of the effectiveness of the workshop, the feedback methods they were currently using in their classrooms, and their perceptions of how the feedback methods they used effected their students' motivation and achievement. The facilitators and a trained observer were also interviewed about the effectiveness of the workshop and suggestions for its modification. The results suggested that the workshop was effective, in part due to the materials and interactiveness, of the session. Suggestions for modifications included a different time allotment for the workshop and development of more examples. Participants stated that they were currently using written comments and conferences for giving feedback to their students and were planning to continue these practices. Several noted that they would like to try other methods in the future.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Russell, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Curricula|Teaching|Higher education
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