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Using digital technologies to provide feedback
In recent times, due to school closures, technology has been an enabler of effective feedback when face-to-face alternatives have not been possible. Teachers can easily create and distribute assignments, allowing learners to complete the tasks that have been set. Once completed and returned, teachers can provide feedback and guidance to their learners. This allows teachers and learners to continue the feedback loop in a blended learning environment.
Please see the assessment and feedback section on the PDST's Distance Learning webpage and the NCCA's Focus on Learning page for more information on assessment and effective feedback.
Case Study A
As part of the digital portfolio initiative, a large, urban post-primary school in the west of Ireland is using Google Classroom as a virtual learning environment in order to design, create and set tasks and assignments for learners. The teacher has created, set and assigned an essay assignment through Google Classroom, based on volcanos. Learners have submitted their essays over the course of two weeks. Using the Chrome extension, Talk and Comments - Voice notes anywhere ,the teacher provides effective feedback to the learners that they can then listen to at any stage. Learners also have the ability to use this extension in order to reply to the teacher with an audio comment.
Case Study B
A medium-sized, rural gaelcholáiste in Leinster is using MS Teams as their VLE to engage in blended learning. Teachers create, set and assign tasks using the assignments function in MS Teams. Once learners have submitted a task, the teachers use the comments feature to give specific, effective and iterative feedback. Teachers also use the overall feedback feature to give a summary of learners' work once fully complete and submitted.
Some benefits of using digital technologies for feedback:
It can be conducted remotely, saving valuable classroom time.
It allows the teacher to keep a record of feedback which can be saved within the learners' profile in a digital portfolio.
It can improve learner engagement by providing specific guidance on how to improve a piece of work.
When used against specific success criteria, it can provide clarity to learners on what is expected or required.
Creating assignments
Below are two possible options teachers can use to assign work for their learners. There are many other platforms also available in this regard, accessible on the PDST Distance Learning Page.
Creating assignments in Google Classroom
Google Classroom aims to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments in a paperless way. Google Classroom helps to streamline the process of sharing files between teachers and learners.
Creating assignments in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is the hub for collaboration in Office 365 that integrates communication between teachers and learners, educational content, and other tools needed for blended learning such as creating and distributing assignments.
Uses of text feedback
Text based feedback is very useful for providing feedback to learners on work that they have submitted using the school’s VLE. This video shows how to provide feedback via Microsoft Teams.
Voice to text feedback
Voice to text is a useful feature of many word processing programmes. Though you cannot use this feature while leaving a comment for a learner, it may be useful for teachers in other ways. For example, when engaging in feedback of learner work or in an SEN setting.
Providing audio or voice comments
Audio feedback can be used as a means of providing feedback to learners and as an alternative to the more traditional text-based feedback. Please see the videos below for examples.
Providing audio or voice comments
Kaizena is an extension that can be used to provide voice feedback to learners.
Please note that both the teacher and learner will need to have the extension activated on their platform.
Providing audio or voice comments
This screencast explores how teachers can support learners by providing audio feedback, using digital ink or sharing written feedback using Microsoft One Note.
PDST Digital Technologies Team YouTube Channel: Assessment and Feedback playlist
The Digital Technologies team has created a YouTube playlist of screencasts demonstrating how to use a selection of digital tools to support assessment and feedback.
Digital tools to support assignments and effective feedback
For more resources and examples of digital tools to support assessment and effective feedback, see the PDST Assessment and Feedback page.
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