Communicate 4.2.2 Digital Feedback

Providing authentic, timely feedback is often a challenging task for even the most veteran teachers. Adequate feedback is extremely time consuming, but there are many digital tools that make this process a bit easier.

Audio feedback through Google Drive
Last year I experimented with Voice Comments through Google Drive. I found that I could talk through the feedback a lot faster than I could type or write it. My students appreciated hearing the explanation, rather than trying to decode my sloppy handwriting on their essays.

Screencast feedback
I also used screencast-o-matic to provide video clips and audio feedback. This was especially helpful for students who were having trouble formatting their essays in Microsoft Word. I was able to take them through the set-up process click by click and provide an audio explanation as well.

Peer Feedback through Google Drive
My students also enjoyed being able to assist each other in the editing process through Google Drive. They were required to offer feedback and suggestions, as well as commend their peers for their strengths. Not only did students appreciate having feedback on their own work, many reported that they learned a lot by looking at the work of their peers.