In the online environment where there are typically no scheduled face to face meetings, feedback is often provided in the written format, which can be easily misunderstood (Maliotaki, 2019; Orrell, 2006), and lacks room for further discussion (Dowden, Pittaway, Yost, & McCarthy, 2013). The one-way communication in written feedback creates these perceptions. Dialogic feedback is defined as an “interactive exchange in which interpretations are shared, meanings negotiated and expectations clarified” (Carless, Salter, Yang, & Lam, 2011, p. 397). Discovering new methods for feedback which allow for improved “dialogue” could create or enhance existing online learning environments where learners and instructors can collaborate and have meaningful interactions. Moreover, the use of alternative methods of feedback delivery could bridge the gap between the message intended to be delivered by the instructor and that which is understood by the student.

This project investigated if VoiceThread could be used as an effective feedback tool to engage students and allow them to feel more connected with their instructor during the learning process. Students in an online Advanced Nursing Research course are required to develop a research proposal. The proposal develops over several weeks with formative feedback given extensively over two weeks. During the first of those weeks, students focus on developing the beginning portion of their proposal (background, significance, literature review, gap identification, purpose, and research question). In the usual course design, students uploaded their drafts as a Word file to the instructor for feedback. The instructor then provided traditional written feedback using Microsoft Word track changes and returned to the students. Students then made corrections and resubmitted for additional written feedback. This same procedure occurred during the second week as they developed the second portion of their proposal (methods, design, data collection/analysis, etc.). In the innovative new course design, students upload their drafts to VoiceThread. After uploading, students are required to provide video/audio commentary on each page of their draft, including questions or areas of concern for the instructor to focus on. On the last page of their draft, students provide a self-assessment of their draft. This creates an open dialogue between students and instructor. The instructor then provides dialogic audio/video and annotated feedback (DAVAF) in VoiceThread throughout the student paper. The instructor also responds to each reflective question posed by the student. The feedback loop is closed by the student responding through DAVAF to the feedback and dialogical comments provided by the instructor. Below is a short video of dialogue on just one aspect of the student work:

[VIDEO FILE]

Data were collected from a small sample of participants during the Fall semester of 2019 (n=12). 72% of the students reported that the VoiceThread feedback enhanced their learning more than written feedback alone.

Data will continue to be collected through Fall of 2020 for a more robust sample.

While this particular teaching activity investigated the use of VoiceThread, the results could potentially be applied to other technology tools that can provide for interactive dialogue between faculty and students.

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https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uTpL-y1abj7dNIHyoLdpyvRZ3n1k_pOb