Feedback
I have found that students truly appreciate and recognize when a professor provides a timely feedback. I try to always respond to my students within 24 hours and on site I mark tests the same day and they really appreciate that. It reduces the level of anxiety of the students.
Marisol:
Twenty-four hours turn-around time is considered as satisfactory by the e-learning community.
Satrohan
I find ingeneral class room and e-learning students both appreciate a quick turn around time.
LaTisha:
Please share with us what you would consider to be an appropriate turnaround time for providing feedback in an online environment.
Satrohan
Take a look at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect
It's the Uncertainty Principle for people--the very effort of observing folks (and letting them know you notice them) can bring out positive returns if they feel that by observing you show that you care.
In the classroom I always email my absent students, and they often appreciate the effort. Online learning is good for such quick communication; people aren't lost in the shuffle, slide by in big classes, or miss getting their mail.
Thank you for sharing the resource with us, Richard. An yes; the "individualized attention" does lead topositive results.
Satrohan
I agree. My rule of thumb is also a reponse back to the student within 24 hours. I also recognize my students by dropping them an email to comment on how their academics are coming along. I think by doing this it makes the student feel better knowing that someone is looking out for them and keeping an eye on what they are doing and how they are performing.
Melissa:
Frequent contact with students not only give them the assurance of receiving individual attention; it helps you to maintain your continual presence in the classroom.
Satrohan
Not only do I believe that timely feedback builds motivation and participation, but constructive feedback does also. I regularly provide feedback on all assignments with grades so that students can see what they did correctly - and where they could improve. I have often been complimented by my students for the feedback that I provide!
Mark McMullen
That is terrific Mark. It doesn't suprise me that your students appreciate your detailed feedback--it is a very important part of the learning process.
This is a great point. Students like to know that you are engaging as a professor in the classroom. It helps the student know that you are there to answer questions.
Dr. Betty Tipton
I agree that it would reduce the anxiety level of students to receive feedback in a timely manner. Also, I think 24 hours is a reasonable amount of time for both the instructor and the students. As an instructor I think a single days notice is an efficient amount of time to provide quality feedback for each student.
I would recommend striving for 24 hour turn around but informing your students it is a 48 hour turnaround. That way, if you do have to miss a day for some reason, they will be expecting it. It follows the expression "under promise and over deliver."
In addition to a fast response time, it is also helpful to provide students multiple ways of contacting the instructor. There have been a few struggling students that prefer phone interaction. Those more comfortable with technology do well with e-mail and instant messaging.
That is a great point Elissa. In my case, calling on the phone usually gets a quick response from me since I keep my cell phone with me at all times.
Thanks for your response.
I try to give immediate feedback not longer than 24 hours but usually under 6 hours. I'm always logged in to my computer so I find it easy to respond to their questions.
The 24 hour rule is a good one. I also get assignments back to the students 48 hours after the due date.
I think the 24 hour rule is always appreciated, but may be impractical or unnecessary in some environments. Regardless, the instructor's commitment to a given turn-around time should be made clear to the group, whatever that time frame is, to minimize anxiety and maximixe the trust in the instructor and the the learning process overall.
