how to give constructive feedback on an online course

by Santos Sporer 6 min read

Meaningful Feedback For Online Learners

  1. Set Clear Expectations. When you are designing an online discussion, take a moment to think about what you want the students to achieve.
  2. Make It Actionable. If you find yourself giving feedback along the lines of “it needs work” or “good job,” you need a change in strategy because nothing confuses students ...
  3. Personalize It. Given the dynamics of online learning, it is common for students to feel distant and isolated during the course.
  4. Share In Audio Format. Considering that most of the communication in online courses happens in text, there are chances of your feedback being misconstrued.
  5. Be Timely. When a student has to wait too long to receive feedback, it impacts their motivation levels and leaves them feeling unsure.
  6. Encourage Peer Feedback. Who says the feedback has to be directed to students from instructors only? ...

Make yourself human and present.
...
In the online space, the general principles and best practices for responding to student writing still apply, i.e.,
  1. match your feedback to the stage of writing.
  2. keep comments to a minimum; don't over comment.
  3. focus comments on your assignment goals and values.
  4. don't mark all surface errors.

How to give effective feedback that leads to positive change?

  • Emotions are deduced through facial expression. ...
  • Eye contact creates a feeling of connection but can also be too intense. ...
  • The way we feel about different people effects the way we speak. ...
  • Avoid looking strict by keeping your arms crossed or like you don’t care by sitting slumped. ...

More items...

What are the key features of constructive feedback?

· The feedback must be positively reinforced, even if the feedback is not of a positive, this should be used a learning curve and used to movitate a learner opposed to discourage. · The feedback must include a resolution, so idenfity the issue and propose a way to improve or move forward, guiding the learner.

What are examples of constructive feedback?

It's important to provide positive feedback when an employee does any of the following:

  • Works overtime
  • Contributes to meetings
  • Has new responsibilities
  • Helps a coworker
  • Takes on additional tasks outside of their role
  • Has finished a challenging project

How to take feedback like a pro?

  • Listen. ...
  • Don't take it personally. ...
  • Hear the value of the criticism. ...
  • Ask questions. ...
  • Ask for and provide concrete action steps. ...
  • Trust that the feedback is well-intentioned. ...
  • Say "thank you" at the end of the conversation. ...
  • The takeaway. ...

Why is feedback important in classrooms?

Why do we need feedback?

What is actionable feedback?

What is edtech in education?

Why is thoughtful feedback important?

How to avoid confusion in writing?

Can LMS give feedback?

See more

About this website

How do you give constructive feedback to an online class?

How To Give Constructive Criticism In eLearningAlways pair criticism with improvement goals. ... Be as specific as possible. ... Choose your words carefully. ... Lead off with a compliment. ... Concentrate on problems with solutions. ... Involve the learner in the feedback process. ... Follow Up.

How do you give a constructive feedback course?

Providing constructive feedbackBe specific and provide examples when commenting on the course or the instructor.Focus on observable behaviors of the instructor or particular aspects of the course. ... Ensure that your comments are respectful. ... Avoid personalization or emotional comments; instead, describe actual incidents.More items...

How do you give feedback virtual learning?

In virtual courses, feedback is a central one-on-one interaction that you have with students. Ensure that your feedback not only speaks to the quality of work but a student's character, too. To begin, use students' first names to personalize each interaction. Also, consider writing in a casual or conversational tone.

How do you give positive feedback online?

How to Encourage Positive Feedback From Your Customers OnlineStart the Conversation.Make It Easier to Leave Public & Private Feedback.Create Social Campaigns.Create Several Spaces to Find Reviews.Proudly Display Positive Reviews.Respond Positively.Ask at the Right Time, Not Just Any Time.Listen to your Customers.More items...•

How do you give positive feedback to training?

Thanks so much for your very valuable training. I really enjoyed it, and appreciated that you made it fun! I feel much better prepared to deal with uncomfortable issues. Thank you for your wisdom, experience and personable presentation.

What are some examples of positive feedback?

Here are some positive feedback examples to help you get started:Your input to today's meeting was a game-changer for this project. ... I am truly impressed with how you have managed to meet every goal set before you. ... Consistency is one of your biggest strengths. ... You did a great job with your presentation today.More items...•

How do you feel about online classes?

My experience with online learning is very stressful and hard. I felt this way because of how hard it is for me to understand the assignments and having to not be able to check with your teacher face to face if you are doing it correctly or not.

How do you evaluate students online?

There are several approaches for evaluating students:Online quizzes.Essay questions.Drag-and-drop activities.Online interviews.Dialogue simulations.Online polls.Game-type activities.Peer evaluation and review.More items...•

How would you describe an online class?

Online Learning: A form of distance education in which a course or program is intentionally designed in advance to be delivered fully online. Faculty use pedagogical strategies for instruction, student engagement, and assessment that are specific to learning in a virtual environment.

How do you give feedback to a program?

Giving effective feedbackConcentrate on the behaviour, not the person. One strategy is to open by stating the behaviour in question, then describing how you feel about it, and ending with what you want. ... Balance the content. ... Be specific. ... Be realistic. ... Own the feedback. ... Be timely. ... Offer continuing support.

How do you start positive feedback?

If you're in a position to give positive feedback, think about how you can include specific details so your audience understands exactly why what they did was good. This way, they can continue to do these things and improve upon them. Here's a good example of meaningful positive feedback: “Nice job on the presentation!

What is constructive feedback in the workplace?

In a workplace environment, constructive feedback is any kind of feedback you are given that comes with suggestions for how you can improve or what...

Why is it important to give constructive feedback?

It is important to give constructive feedback in the place of negative feedback as it avoids severely hurting anyone’s feelings and means that a mo...

How do you respond to constructive feedback?

If you are the one receiving constructive feedback, the best thing you can remember is to try not to get defensive or angry. The person delivering...

Positive Feedback for Students (with Examples) | Teach Starter

Are you interested in helping your students embrace mistakes, and learn from them? Read our tips (with examples!) for how to give positive feedback.

Why is feedback not effective?

And then when it comes to feedback it’s usually not very effective because the knowledge checks and quizzes tend to be simple and at best provide basic incorrect and correct prompts. However, life isn’t like that. It’s a lot more nuanced and right and wrong decisions have meaningful consequences to what we do.

Why is feedback important?

Effective feedback is crucial for not just to check learning has taken place, but gives an opportunity for learners to ask further questions and receive helpful guidance for improvement. Using real life examples to reinforce learning I used in school and college classes.

Why is it important to compress the events?

Compressing also allows more decisions to be made than might happen in a real world environment. And exaggerating the consequence amplifies the impact of the decisions made.

How to frame learning experience?

So the first step is to frame the learning experience in a real world context where they make meaningful decisions. And then the next step is to provide feedback that shows the impact of the decisions and actions a person makes. In the real world there are consequences to what we do and they tend to impact the world around us for good or bad.

Why is it important to have an online course?

Because it’s an online course you may have to amplify or over dramatize the activities, feedback and consequences. For example, in the real world an angry customer may leave the store if you make a wrong decision. Sure, you lost a potential sale, but odds are the company is not going to go bankrupt and most likely not even be aware of the lost sale.

What is the key to learning activity?

The key with the activity is that you’re not just testing knowledge. Instead you get them to apply what they learned in a relevant context. This lets you ascertain their current level of understanding and the learner can feel confident that they’re learning and moving forward.

Is correct and incorrect prompts effective?

Which means that simple correct and incorrect prompts may not be the most effective feedback you can provide. Here are a few tips on providing more meaningful and effective feedback.

When giving constructive feedback, what is the best way to start?

When you are giving constructive feedback, it’s important to begin by stating your intentions for the conversation. This is important whether you are having a general discussion about somebody’s progress or are talking about a specific incident or behaviour that needs highlighting or improving.

Why do people like constructive feedback?

This is because it is much more helpful and leads to more constructive conversations that are better for both individual and business growth. Instead of giving vaguely positive feedback for ...

Why is constructive feedback important?

It is important to give constructive feedback in the place of negative feedback as it avoids severely hurting anyone’s feelings and means that a more equal conversation can be had . Constructive feedback also encourages positive growth and change instead of discouraging someone’s behaviour, which is a much more productive way to have ...

Why is it important to give vague feedback?

If you want to bring about change from your constructive conversation, focus on specific things that are going well or need improvement so that the other person knows exactly what they should work on. This means that employees have an accurate idea of their performance and know what else is expected of them.

What is feedback sandwich?

You’ve probably heard of a feedback sandwich, which involves delivering a piece of criticism in between two pieces of praise to try and soften the blow. Whilst this method is sometimes criticised for involving unhelpful or pointless feedback for the sake of being nice, it can be useful to begin a conversation involving constructive criticism with something positive, as long as it is relevant.

When you're going to be delivering constructive feedback that might focus on something someone has done badly, it is best

When you’re going to be delivering constructive feedback that might focus on something someone has done badly, it is best if you create an environment that feels safe and supportive before you do so. This will mean that the person you are talking to feels more comfortable and relaxed, and also that the feedback will feel less like an attack and more like an opportunity for a productive conversation.

Is it better to give constructive feedback on a video call or in person?

It’s also always a lot better to deliver constructive feedback in person, rather than on a video call.

What is constructive feedback?

Constructive feedback is a useful tool that managers and employees can engage in to improve the standard of work. There is a right way to give good constructive feedback which you will learn by ...

How to give feedback to a team?

1. Choose the right time and place for feedback. The first thing you want to consider is the location. Small bits of praise and appreciation can be shared among the wider team. On the other hand, criticism that is shared in front of your employee's peers will be shameful and embarrassing.

What is the most important part of feedback?

The most important part of the feedback should be working with the employee about improvements. You can share what you would like to see in the future such as improvements to working speed, accuracy, relationships with colleagues, or whatever the situation is.

Why is criticism important?

When critiquing an employee's work it is imperative to try and make it not personal. Criticism plays an important role in helping people avoid negative behaviors and grow from their mistakes.

Why does anger run high in feedback?

Anger can cause you to attack the recipient unfairly and this could have consequences . It won’t make you or the recipient feel better and could bleed into the work environment.

What does "you are very innovative with the way you work" mean?

“You are very innovative with the way you work. The creative solutions you have shared with the team are invaluable and will save the company time and money in the future.”

Is it appropriate to slide feedback?

It may not be appropriate to slide your feedback in between more positive conversations. It could lead to your message being diluted or misunderstood. Sometimes will be advantageous for a boss to get straight to the point.

The basics

When you teach a face-to-face course, many instructors develop some kind of relationship with the class as well as individual learners. You may come to associate names with faces, and in turn, writing styles, personality, strengths, and challenging areas.

Practical tips

Try to set guidelines for yourself about when feedback is due. For example, if student discussion posts are due on Thursday, try to have your feedback by Sunday evening. If priorities shift, that’s okay – just communicate it to students. Time management is key.

What to ask learners when you need feedback?

What To Ask Your Learners When You Need Feedback. Feedback can help you improve multiple aspects of your online course, whether we’re talking about your platform, content, or even marketing. Asking for genuine feedback and giving genuine feedback can be nerve-racking for most.

What are the enemies of feedback?

The biggest enemies of good feedback are generalities and niceties. The first is the tendency to say things that are non-specific such as “great course” or “I didn’t like it” without elaborating further. The second is the fact that people will often say things that they think you want to hear. The golden rule is that in order to get effective ...

What are learning outcomes?

Learning outcomes are how we measure the success of a course. And while you might be able to assess them through online quizzes or other types of assessments, it’s great to know what learners think about the final result. If an online course’s purpose is to lead the learner from point A to point B, you need to know if it has achieved that, to what degree, and assess how the course can be improved to help others in the future.

Why is feedback important in classrooms?

Clear and constructive feedback can propel a student’s growth, providing opportunities for reflection while sharpening critical thinking skills. Feedback can also help motivate students to persevere with difficult material, take creative risks, or explore new angles and perspectives, creating a springboard for learning. Not only is instructor feedback helpful — “for many students,” it’s becoming “the new grading system,” according to education news website Education Dive. Unfortunately, providing students with insightful feedback is often easier said than done — especially in virtual classrooms, which pose new and unique challenges to effective teacher-student communication.

Why do we need feedback?

The purpose of providing feedback is to help the recipient grow academically. You will have better luck achieving this goal if you communicate your feedback clearly, which is one of the reasons we recommend streaming or pre-recording audio or video. Written feedback can also be beneficial for students, but may be less clear or engaging in comparison. This is especially true for subjects like math, physics, biology, or chemistry, where instructors may wish to visually reference complex models, formulas, or diagrams.

What is actionable feedback?

Actionable feedback provides greater value to students than generic feedback, such as “Nice work!” that does not lead to any reflection or analysis. However, it can be motivational to include a few positive words of encouragement after offering an actionable suggestion. As an alternative to making a suggestion, you can also try asking an open-ended question, which may help the student brainstorm new ideas.

What is edtech in education?

Keeping abreast of educational technology, or “EdTech,” will help you remain up-to-date on the latest developments, tips, and trends affecting online educators. For example, you can attend virtual education conferences, read edtech blogs and forums, discuss remote teaching resources with your peers, and follow Twitter accounts or hashtags related to edtech topics, such as #K12, #education, #edtech, or #MicrosoftTeams.

Why is thoughtful feedback important?

It can offer encouragement, spark new ideas, and challenge students to realize their potential. However, in order for students to reap these benefits, it’s crucial for teachers to deliver feedback strategically, being mindful ...

How to avoid confusion in writing?

Avoid confusion by sharing audio or video recordings, or by streaming live, which not only makes it easier to present your feedback clearly, but also saves you time on writing. Statistics also suggest that video may be more engaging than text, which means students may have an easier time retaining video feedback.

Can LMS give feedback?

Depending on what sort of learning management system (LMS) you’re using, it may be challenging to direct personalized feedback toward individual students, rather than sharing comments publicly — at least, until you familiarize yourself with all of the technological options and resources that are available to you.

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