Feedback Matters!

Concurrent Session 7
Leadership

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

Students matter – and – feedback matters! Students receiving high quality feedback that is most beneficial to learning in the online modality and that best prepares students is among the greatest responsibilities that we as faculty have. The question is, what is most effective and beneficial to students in the online classroom? In this session we will explore research findings that will provide faculty and administrators with greater understanding of the most valuable ways to provide discussion forum feedback in the online classroom to benefit student learning.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Helen Hammond, Grand Canyon University

Helen Hammond is a passionate Lifelong learner and enthusiastic encourager. She is committed to the development of others and enjoys seeing them realize their potential. She believes we are 'Better Together'. When she’s not loving 'Lope Life' on campus at GCU…she’s loving 'Arizona Life' on the 40 acres she and her husband have in Northwest Arizona and their adult sons frequently visit! Dr. Hammond is senior program manager and assistant professor in the Center for Innovation in Research on Teaching at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. She teaches undergraduate business courses including management, organizational behavior, servant leadership, marketing, and leadership in organizations. Dr. Hammond holds a PhD in In Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Her Research interests include servant leadership, management, teaching and learning, and online teaching best practices.

Co-presenter: B. Jean Mandernach, Grand Canyon University (Virtual Presenter)

B. Jean Mandernach, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching at Grand Canyon University. Her research focuses on enhancing student learning in the online classroom through innovative instructional and assessment strategies. In addition, she has interests in the development of effective faculty evaluation models, perception of online degrees, and faculty workload considerations. Jean received her B.S. in comprehensive psychology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, an M.S. in experimental psychology from Western Illinois University and Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Extended Abstract

Perception is reality, and if students don’t know – then they make their own conclusions…and these conclusions may or may not be rooted in reality. In this session we will examine research about student perceptions related to discussion forum gradebook feedback. Understanding the influence of feedback characteristics such as level of detail, focus, target, and grade reference can assist faculty in providing feedback that most benefits students.

Feedback has been examined in the literature as it relates to the online discussion forums (Baleni, 2015; Ekahitanond, 2013; Fernandez, Simo, Castillo, & Sallan, 2014; Sager & Chen, 2013).        This has led to increased interest in what type of feedback is most beneficial for online for online students and what type of feedback they prefer (Nixon, Brooman, Murphy, & Fearon, 2017).

Research based on a 2X2X2X2 (16 condition) experimental comparison of student perceptions as a function of specific features of instructor gradebook feedback will be presented. 

The feedback features (independent variables) under investigation included:

  • Detail (basic vs. elaborative)
  • Focus (general vs. specific)
  • Target (content vs. performance)
  • Grade (yes or no)

Dependent measures focused on students’ perceptions regarding the value and utility of hypothetical instructor gradebook feedback in relation to an example online discussion post. Understanding the influence that characteristics such as level of detail, focus, target, and grade reference can assist faculty in providing feedback that is most beneficial to students.
 

In this session, research on perceptions related to student feedback preferences will be presented. Findings will provide faculty and administrators with greater understanding of the most valuable was to provide discussion forum feedback that is most beneficial to online student learning. In addition to presentation of findings, administrators and faculty attending this session will have the opportunity to collaborate and discuss best practices for feedback in the online modality based on the findings examined in the study.