What are some ways you can use digital tools to improve student feedback?

1 Audio and video feedback

One way to use digital tools to improve student feedback is to record audio or video comments instead of writing them. Audio and video feedback can convey more tone, emotion, and nuance than written feedback, and can help you build rapport and trust with your students. Audio and video feedback can also save you time, as you can speak faster than you can type, and avoid repeating yourself or using templates. You can use various tools to record and share audio or video feedback, such as Screencast-O-Matic, Loom, or Flipgrid.

2 Peer feedback

Another way to use digital tools to improve student feedback is to facilitate peer feedback, where students give and receive feedback from each other. Peer feedback can help students develop critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills, and can expose them to different perspectives and ideas. Peer feedback can also reduce your workload, as you can focus on providing feedback on the most important or challenging aspects of the assignment. You can use various tools to support peer feedback, such as Peergrade, Peerceptiv, or PeerScholar.

5 Self-assessment and reflection

A fifth way to use digital tools to improve student feedback is to encourage self-assessment and reflection, where students evaluate their own work and learning process. Self-assessment and reflection can help students develop metacognition, self-regulation, and ownership of their learning. Self-assessment and reflection can also help students integrate and apply your feedback, and plan for their next steps. You can use various tools to prompt and support self-assessment and reflection, such as Google Forms, Padlet, or Seesaw.

6 Feedback analytics

A sixth way to use digital tools to improve student feedback is to use feedback analytics, where you collect and analyze data on the feedback process and its impact. Feedback analytics can help you measure the quality, quantity, and timeliness of your feedback, and how students use and respond to it. Feedback analytics can also help you identify patterns, trends, and gaps in your feedback practices, and make informed decisions to improve them. You can use various tools to generate and visualize feedback analytics, such as FeedbackFruits, Loop, or Turnitin.