2.3.5. BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES
Moodle tools facilitate feedback provision. Teachers, using Moodle tools, can provide feedback to students as well as organize and monitor peer feedback exchanges. For instance, teachers, using Moodle grading tool, can grade student’s work, without having to download the submitted file and comment on the assignment directly (if the submission is done in PDF format). As discussed in previous topics (see Topic 1.1 and Topic 1.2), the grading form can be set up either in accordance to learning outcomes or assessment criteria. The added benefit of the grading directly in Moodle, is that teachers can provide feedback on the work uploaded as well as the grade issued, with the reference to assignment criteria as well as indicate which and to what extent learning outcomes have been achieved (see Illustration 1 below).
Illustration 1. Example of provision of feedback in accordance with assessment criteria (VMU Moodle environment)
Moodle environment offers ways to organize and implement peer review activities as well. For instance, a useful tool for exchanging feedback among peer students in a Moodle environment is called Workshop (see Illustration 3). This tool offers a possibility for students to engage in peer assessment and peer review activities. Students are assigned to assess each other's submissions and provide feedback to one another based on the described assessment criteria. This is quite useful practice as students have an opportunity to get acquainted with assessment criteria, to develop critical thinking skills as well as evaluative expertise and increase their feedback literacy.
Illustration 2. Workshop Activity in Moodle (VMU Moodle environment)
The feedback, collected through this activity, is not related to the course materials or teaching methods. However, it is quite useful for student learning. In fact, participation in such activities can increase student engagement, in addition, foster the development of a number of important cognitive and metacognitive skills. Illustration 4 shows the assessment form used in Workshop activity. As shown, students need to assess their peer work according to three criteria and provide feedback.
Illustration 3. Assessment Form in Workshop activity (VMU Moodle environment)
The feedback can be seen by both teacher and the peer student, whose work has been evaluated. Moreover, this can also contribute to increasing transparency of assessment as students are actively engaging with pre-defined assessment criteria while evaluating and providing feedback based on these criteria.
Moreover, Moodle discussion forums can facilitate feedback provision, too. While grading tools allow for more personalized feedback, in discussion forums more general questions can be addressed. For example, the student can start a thread in the discussion to discuss the issue that concerns them, and the teacher or other peers can respond and provide feedback (see Illustration 4).
Illustration 4. Example from Forum discussion (VMU Moodle environment)
Also, in such a way provided feedback can be beneficial to a number of students in the course.
In short, the use of digital tools can facilitate feedback exchanges between teacher and student and student and their peers, thus, improving overall learning experience. Technologies can significantly optimize feedback provision in terms of logistics, as most of the commenting can be done directly in the learning environment without having to download anything. Finally, peer assessment and review procedures can be set up in a much more efficient way by help of digital technologies, too. Thus, it is strongly advised to explore digital tools for feedback provision.