E-valu8 - A tool to support proactive feedback: Motivating students to learn and complete their course

John O'Donoghue, Lucy Warman, Anne Marie Alger

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The E-valu8 project at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), aimed to utilise technology to support students in effective methods of evaluating the quality of their learning experience, enabling open interaction, collaborative and personal action planning. The objectives explored ways of engaging and motivating students by providing timely feedback, through the development of an online evaluation tool. Initial investigation focused on the mechanism, value and worth of both the process and value of effective feedback. The emphasis within this paper is the consequential effect, if any, on the motivational effect of student feedback by closing the feedback loop and endeavouring to consider if such activity promotes student engagement within a course of study. Creating an environment in which feedback is acknowledged and acted upon and fed back to students has been shown to enhance learning outcomes in many different ways, including improvement in the quantity and quality of the learning experience (Grabinger et al, 1995). This could be defined as an environment which is both dynamic and responsive, with the students being encouraged and rewarded for participating within the feedback and assessment process. Our work illustrates that by embedding more intrinsic rewards via appropriate feedback mechanisms this allows students to feel involved in taking responsibility for their own learning, (Davies and Smith, 2006; Canaan, 2003). This promotes a deeper understanding of concepts and their application. The technology use needs to be constructively aligned with the curriculum objectives and learning outcomes so the students can become actively engaged in their learning and the learning and teaching process, rather than passive recipients of knowledge and information. To conclude, this paper attempts to show how the effective use of an institutionally based feedback and evaluation tool can encourage and support student motivation to learn and engage within a course of study.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 26th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, ASCILITE 2009
PublisherAustralian Society for Computers in Tertiary Education
Pages695-700
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)9781877314827
Publication statusPublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes
Event26th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education - "Same places, different spaces", ASCILITE 2009 - Auckland, New Zealand
Duration: 6 Dec 20099 Dec 2009

Publication series

NameASCILITE 2009 - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education

Conference

Conference26th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education - "Same places, different spaces", ASCILITE 2009
Country/TerritoryNew Zealand
CityAuckland
Period6/12/099/12/09

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