e-Learning Case Studies

Name and e-mail: Asun Solano (A.Solano@bath.ac.uk)

Keywords (pedagogical): feedback, assessment, languages

Keywords (technical): audio, mp3, Moodle, assignment

Discipline: European Studies and Modern Languages

Year/ability: mainly Year 1 cross-discipline students (some as a 6 credit unit, some not credit-bearing)

Course title: Intermediate Spanish (Post-GCSE level)

Background

What took place?

A project to introduce audio to learning and teaching as part of the Unit 6 e-learning module in the PGCAPP (Post-Graduate Certificate in Academic and Professional Practice).

The audio feedback was implemented in Semester 2 when a rapport had already been established with the 12 students taking part. Audio feedback was recorded for listening, reading, speaking and writing assessments within the Spanish unit.

What was the role of the technology?

Each piece of audio was recorded as a .wav file.  An assignment was set up in the course’s Moodle unit to deliver the feedback.  Students did not have to upload to the assignment, but the Moodle unit’s grading page was used to assign a mark and link to the audio feedback.  Each student was given a mark, a comment was added ‘please download file’ and each student’s .wav audio file was uploaded as a response file within the grading page.

Outcomes

How did the participants find it?

Students liked receiving their feedback by audio file.  They enjoyed the personal aspect of it and felt it led to more individualised feedback.  Students appreciated the efforts made and stated that seeing the work that went into providing such feedback motivated them to put more effort into their work.

Using audio was found to be very effective in language studies and allowed for very through feedback. The tutor felt that students particularly benefitted from audio feedback on their listening assignment as she was able to re-state in the target language any elements that had caused difficulties.

Issues/problems

What tips do you have for others?

The research about audio feedback that the tutor engaged with showed a disparity in opinions about the ideal length of recording to provide.  However, the literature did suggest that it should not be longer than seven minutes and recommended feedback should be approximately the length of a song. That said, the tutor found that it was important to say what needed to be said rather than limit the feedback to a predetermined length.

Plans for the future

Audio feedback will definitely be used again next year for the listening element of the assessments but other elements will be dependent on available time.  The tutor is also considering using audio within other courses to deliver basic pronunciation and examples for students e.g. recording the alphabet and adding this to the Moodle unit as a resource that students can regularly refer back to.

Name and e-mail: Hedley Bashforth (H.Bashforth@bath.ac.uk)

Keywords (pedagogical): feedback, examination

Keywords (technical): audio, mp3, Moodle

Discipline: Social and Policy Sciences

Year/ability: Year 1 undergraduate

Course title: Social policy, welfare and the state

Background

What took place?

This Year One unit has historically been assessed by examination and for the first time students were given the opportunity to sit a mock exam of one question in one hour. This had originated from a student desire to practice working in exam conditions, since for many this would be the first exam that would sit at university level. This was as much for the symbolic value of the process of answering questions in exam conditions as it was for the content of their answers.

The tutor offered to read the essay questions and give one or two brief comments as feedback – about fifteen seconds of audio.  Twenty of the cohort took up the option of the practice exam and twelve of them asked for audio feedback on their work.

What was the role of the technology?

The interest in audio feedback came from a presentation that Jo Phoenix from the University of Durham gave to the Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee that described a pilot that had been undertaken in their institution. The tutor was impressed enough by this pilot experience that he though it worth exploring with his students.

An essay question was answered on paper under exam conditions.  The tutor borrowed an mp3 player/recorder from the AV team. It was easy to operate and was used to record a brief piece of feedback for each student as a separate sound file. These files were then downloaded onto PC and named with details of each student.  Ideally the tutor would have liked to be able to name the file whilst it was on the mp3 recorder in order to streamline the download/upload process.

In Moodle an ‘audio feedback’ folder was created and the files added to this folder.  Adding files to a folder was a far more time efficient way of approaching the process but did not allow for privacy of feedback. The students in the project were aware of this from the outset and were still happy to take part.

Outcomes

How did the participants find it?

Students found the experience positive and the only change to the process that they requested was to receive an indicative grade – something that will probably be introduced in the next round of feedback.

Issues/problems

What tips do you have for others?

Jo Phoenix had given advice on speech within the audio feedback medium and emphasised the importance of language and tone.  As well as ensuring clarity of voice, she recommended avoiding a didactic approach with an emphasis on mistakes. A questioning tone of voice and discussion of potential improvements is far more effective than authoritative declarations which can be found patronising and demoralising.

Plans for the future

There are plans to offer the same optional mock exam with audio feedback again this year.  Audio feedback may also be extended to use by postgraduate supervisors that are supporting small groups with their work.

There are not plans to extend the audio feedback further, since it was felt that its more impressionistic and brief nature would not really lend itself to other marking processes where the tutor would prefer to continue to annotate scripts in more detail.