7.5 Online marking and feedback
fEEDBACK LITERACY
Feedback literacy can be defined as “the understandings, capacities and dispositions needed to make sense of information and use it to enhance work or learning strategies. Students’ feedback literacy involves an understanding of what feedback is and how it can be managed effectively; capacities and dispositions to make productive use of feedback; and appreciation of the roles of teachers and themselves in these processes” (Carless & Boud 2018).
The development of students’ feedback literacy is entwined with the development of students’ assessment literacy. Assessment literacy relates to students’ abilities to understand the assessment purposes and processes, and accurately judge their own work. In topic 3.1, you explored assessment design. As part of the principles of quality assessment, the assessment should be transparent and students should clearly understand the assessment expectations.
How students can benefit from assessment feedback
Sadler (1989) identified three conditions necessary for students to benefit from feedback in academic tasks. He argued that the student must know:
- What good performance is (i.e., the student must possess a concept of the goal or standard being aimed for);
- How current performance relates to good performance (for this, the student must be able to compare current and good performance); and
- How to act to close the gap between current and good performance.
In this video, A/Prof Phillip Dawson discusses the importance of developing students’ feedback literacy.
9.00 am Keynote, Victoria University Videos
Principles of good feedback practices
Adapted from Nicol & MacFarlane-Dick (2006).
Online marking and feedback
Online marking is the most convenient marking strategy for both staff and students
LearnJCU provides staff with options for annotating submissions, marking with a rubric, providing formal feedback in a variety of formats and controlling the release of marks and feedback.
Annotation of students’ submissions
You can provide feedback directly into students’ assessment submissions by using the Blackboard Annotate tool. After you post the grade, students can access their annotated submission to view your feedback.
Marking with an online rubric
Prior to setting up an assessment item (i.e., assignment or graded discussion board), you can create and assign an online marking rubric (YouTube) to the assessment task. After you post the grade, students are able to access the marked rubric to view your feedback and marks assigned for each criterion.
Adding feedback text, files or audio/video feedback
You can add general feedback text, files or audio/video feedback (YouTube) to any assessment submission via the feedback panel. The feedback icon appears at the top of the marking submission page. Feedback in the feedback panel should build on the structured rubric feedback to include constructive feedback.
Additional resource: Using video in assessment and feedback webinar recording, slides and resources (Transforming Assessment SIG)
