Digital Feedback (Communicate 4.2.2)

Record audio or upload mp3 >>

There are so many different methods that teachers can employ to provide meaningful feedback or encouragement to students.  Feedback can range from something as simple as the above graphic congratulating a student on a job well done--sort of the web equivalent of a sticker--to something more specific and instructive such as a voice recorded message.  For the above recording, I used Vocaroo.  It took about 30 seconds to figure out how to use the tool, and was incredibly easy to share.  (The only negative thing about using a voice recording tool was feeling self-conscious about hearing my own voice in a recording.)

Teachers in the virtual classroom can also use some of the same tools that traditional classroom teachers utilize to reinforce learning or be proactive about student achievement.  Peer feedback can be an incredibly useful tool in an online classroom for many of the same reasons that it's valuable in a traditional classroom: it allows students to learn from their peers, students can recognize errors that may be difficult to see in their own work, and it fosters a sense of community among classmates.

It's especially important for an online instructor to use these tools not only to improve student learning, but also to build relationships with the students.  When a student feels more connected with an instructor, he often performs better, feels more comfortable asking important questions, and enjoys the material more.  Because virtual learning can sometimes leave students feeling isolated, creating relationships with teachers and peers is particularly important.