To what extent does audio feedback support large student cohorts?

Short paper(S10) To what extent does audio feedback support large student cohorts? Rachel Fitzgerald Northampton Business School University of Northampton, Northampton, United Kingdom rachel.fitzgerald@northampton.ac.uk ABSTRACT The NSS, National Student Survey, regularly highlights student dissatisfaction with feedback, identifying factors such as timeliness, personalisation, specific information on how to improve in a clear and understandable manner and the level of detail given to students related to learning outcomes. In a large cohort, achieving these targets in feedback can be difficult to achieve and students are more likely to be at risk of receiving rushed and vague feedback as lecturers strive to return results as quickly as possible. In his research into the use of digital audio for feedback in the JISC Sounds Good Project, Bob Rotherham suggests that audio may be a way to assist “lecturers looking for a way of giving students Irish Learning Technology Association good quality feedback on their work whilst saving time” Rotherham (2008, p1). Saunders et al (2005) suggests that a good teacher is one will take advantage of ICT opportunities in order to enrich the student experience, and this research evaluates the potential to provide meaningful, quality feedback to a large group of first year students on a Information Management programme at Northampton Business School using digital audio as the method of providing feedback. Using an action research methodology, this research evaluates the process from the creation of the digital audio files right through to the personalised approach of returning the files to the students. This paper analyses the effect of the experience on the lecturers involved and through subsequent group discussion and questionnaires, this research also evaluates the thoughts of the students involved and considers the impact overall from both home and international students. Early results indicate that for large cohorts there is no simple answer but electronic feedback is seen as more beneficial and digital audio may have some unexpected benefits for stakeholders. Rotherham, B. (2008) Using an MP3 to give feedback on student assignments; Educational Developments; SEDA; 8:2 Saunders, M., Charlier, B., Bonamy, J. (2005) Using Evaluation to create ‘Provisional Stabilities’; Evaluation the International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice; 11:1; 37-54