Last updated on Jul 16, 2024

How do you manage feedback workload and time in online courses?

Feedback is an essential part of online learning, but it can also be a source of stress and frustration for both instructors and students. How do you balance the quality and quantity of feedback with the time and energy you have available? How do you create a feedback system that supports learning, motivation, and engagement in your online courses? In this article, explore some strategies and tips that can help manage feedback workload and time in online courses.

1 Define your feedback goals

Before you start giving feedback, have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with it. What are the learning outcomes and objectives of your course? What are the criteria and standards for assessing student work? What are the expectations and guidelines for feedback delivery and response? By defining your feedback goals, your feedback can align with the purpose and design of your course and be communicated effectively to your students.

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2 Choose your feedback tools

Online courses offer a variety of tools and platforms for giving feedback, such as text, audio, video, rubrics, surveys, peer review, and more. Each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the type, level, and context of feedback you want to provide. For example, text feedback can be more precise and detailed, but it can also be more time-consuming and impersonal. Audio or video feedback can be more expressive and engaging, but it can also be more difficult to edit and review. Choose your feedback tools based on your feedback goals, your personal preferences, and your students' needs and preferences.

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3 Plan your feedback schedule

Feedback can be given at different stages of the learning process, such as before, during, or after an assignment or activity. Feedback can also be given at different frequencies, such as weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Planning your feedback schedule can help you organize your feedback workload and time, and avoid delays and inconsistencies. For example, you can decide to give formative feedback (feedback that helps students improve their work) before or during an assignment, and summative feedback (feedback that evaluates student work) after an assignment. You can also decide to give feedback on a regular basis, such as every Monday or every other Friday, and stick to it.

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Alison Braun, Ph.D.

Project Manager-Board Director-Professor-Focused on Strategic Change Leadership
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Providing students feedback before, during, and after assignments is essential to building on assignments. Creating announcements and corresponding emails to the students in an online environment and preparing the students for the milestone assignment helps with understanding the requirements. I have started posting a discussion board where the students can respond and build a repository of questions for the assignment. I started gathering questions from previous terms for the board. Students often avoid reaching out, but if they have a location to look for frequently asked questions, it can help provide the answers and support they need. I also found that offering that bit of reassurance helped. Supportive end feedback helps too!

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4 Prioritize your feedback content

Feedback can be more or less specific, comprehensive, and constructive, depending on the nature and purpose of the feedback. However, you don't have to give feedback on everything, or give the same amount and quality of feedback to every student. Prioritizing your feedback content can help you focus on the most important and relevant aspects of student work, and avoid overwhelming yourself and your students with too much or too little feedback. For example, you can decide to give feedback on the main strengths and weaknesses of student work, rather than on every minor error or detail. You can also decide to give more feedback to students who need it more, or who ask for it more.

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Laura Mita

Editor, Educator, & Instructional Designer | Strengthening content, empowering learners, and creating exceptional instructional experiences 📖🖊️ 💻
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I believe every learner should receive feedback as they each put the time into the work. I have created documents with generalized feedback for well-developed, average, and poorly-developed assignments. I easily build “sandwich” feedback for each student with it. 1. They all start with something positive. 2. I add in the middle for each student based on what they submitted, providing specific examples from their work. Asking questions here for critical thinking as they make their way through the course material. 3. They all end with positive feedback about what to do moving forward.

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Ania Halama

Founder & CEO of Xpansion Alchemy ✨ I empower professionals to overcome limits, align with purpose, and boost productivity through mindfulness and holistic mentorship, creating thriving and resilient workplaces.
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Let's talk about giving feedback—it's like seasoning your food, you know? You don't want to overdo it, but you also don't want it bland. Feedback should be about highlighting the standout moments, much like focusing on the key scenes in a movie rather than nitpicking every single frame. It's perfectly fine to zero in on the big picture stuff that really matters. And just like how you'd give extra attention to a friend struggling with a new skill, some students might need a tad more guidance. It's all about finding that sweet spot where your feedback is both helpful and digestible. Ready to make your feedback count? Let's spice things up, but keep it easy to swallow!

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5 Automate your feedback process

Feedback can be more or less automated, depending on the degree of human involvement and interaction. Automating your feedback process can help you save time and energy, and provide immediate and consistent feedback to your students. However, you don't have to rely on automation alone, or use it for every type of feedback. Automating your feedback process can complement your human feedback, and enhance your feedback quality and quantity. For example, you can use automation tools to give feedback on objective or factual aspects of student work, such as grammar, spelling, or quiz answers. You can also use automation tools to give feedback on common or recurring issues or questions, such as templates, FAQs, or canned responses.

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Alison Braun, Ph.D.

Project Manager-Board Director-Professor-Focused on Strategic Change Leadership
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Always be mindful of not sounding robotic and constantly personalize any automated feedback. It is important that students feel as though they belong and as educators, we foster that.

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6 Evaluate your feedback impact

Feedback can have different impacts on student learning, motivation, and engagement, depending on how it is perceived and used by students. Evaluating your feedback impact can help you measure the effectiveness and efficiency of your feedback, and identify areas for improvement or adjustment. You can evaluate your feedback impact by collecting and analyzing data and feedback from your students, such as grades, completion rates, satisfaction surveys, testimonials, or suggestions. You can also evaluate your feedback impact by reflecting on your own feedback practice, such as challenges, successes, or lessons learned.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you manage feedback workload and time in online courses?

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1 Define your feedback goals

2 Choose your feedback tools

3 Plan your feedback schedule

4 Prioritize your feedback content

5 Automate your feedback process

6 Evaluate your feedback impact

7 Here’s what else to consider

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