Page Comparison

Example

Method

Suitable for large cohorts

Supporting technologies at UCL

AI as a feedback partner

AI content generators can be used as 'feedback partners', engaging students in critical dialogue with the AI outputs and honing their ability to ask key questions and evaluate responses (for accuracy, quality, ethical values and so on). Allowing students to generate their own feedback by comparing their work against a range of AI outputs can help them develop self-efficacy.

Yes

Depending on your purposes, a range of AI content generators that can be used. You can find information on AI tools in the UCL Generative AI hub.

Case study Using AI tools for the reading-into-writing process from the UCL Academic Communication Centre.

Audio and Video Feedback

Audio and video can often convey more engaging, nuanced and personalised feedback than written comments. It can also include a larger quantity of information, without being more time consuming to produce (Huang et al as cited in Payne, 2021). Whilst written comments are extremely valuable, studies show that students rate the overall quality of video/audio feedback more highly than text based. You could consider using audio and video to complement written comments in order to expand on potentially ambiguous or complex areas, highlight common themes for the whole class or use screencasts to talk through an exemplar, demonstrating areas for improvement.

Yes

• In Moodle Assignments (C) audio feedback cannot be recorded directly but you can upload an audio file or link to video.
• In Wiseflow (C) you can attach pre-recorded feedback to a comment or add an audio recording to a standard/ custom rubric.
• GoReact (D) allows students to create video assignments and receive personalised feedback individually or collaboratively.
  
  See also recording screencasts or videos under Feedback Workshops and Tutorials section below.
  
  Case study Creating personalised video feedback Samir Nuseibeh, Department of Biochemical Engineering.

Automated feedback in online quizzes

Online quizzes can be used for diagnostic tests and provide feedback to students on their performance, helping them identify areas of improvement. The level of nuance and functionality depends on the software used.

Yes

• Moodle Quiz (C) provides sophisticated feedback options – per question or general, into which text, links, images and so on can be included. Audio feedback cannot be recorded directly but you could upload a feedback file or link to video feedback.
• The quiz activity in Wiseflow (C) (FLOWmulti) offers limited feedback options.
• Crowdmark (D) allows tutors to upload a detailed rubric into the comment library, leave text comments, link to resources, attach pdfs, insert images and GIFs, apply point values etc.  
• STACK (C) quiz questions enable a range of feedback responses based on what the student answers.
• Matlab grader (C) can also be used for coding problems and assessments.

Automated feedback for written assignments

To date there is no software that can produce in-depth and personalised feedback on written assignments or other submission formats, but some can cover the more general areas or provide some efficiencies.

• Turnitin Assignment (C) allows you to create Quickmarks (data base of comments that you can reuse) each of which can be associated with a single criterion. They also allow links and can be colour coded. They can be viewed in different ways (as lists or on the page) and they can be searched. However, Quickmark comments can feel depersonalised for students.

Collaborative Tools

Collaborative tools can be used as group assignments, enabling real-time feedback and collaboration. When using group assignments, it is also important to provide guidance for students on how to engage.

Yes, but students will need to be divided into groups.

• A range of collaborative tools are available on Moodle such as the Wiki, Glossary, Workshop (C). See peer and self-assessment section below for more on this.
• MS Teams (C) offers a range of collaborative options which also facilitate ongoing feedback opportunities (peer and tutor) such as Planner, Document sharing/editing or One Note.
• IPAC (C) is a group assessment tool where an element of 'individual peer assessed contribution' is combined with the group mark to provide individual marks. This is used by Engineering at UCL.
• Reflect Blog (C) can allow for collaboration and comments.
• MyPortfolio (C) can enable peer and tutor feedback as well as personal reflection (see separate entry below).
  
  Case study Facilitating Group Work Assessments by Dr Meghanne Barker, lecturer in the Department of Education, Practice, and Society at the IOE.

Feedback Analytics

Feedback analytics help identify patterns in how students respond to feedback. You can use this data to inform and refine your feedback strategies.

Yes

Currently there are no analytic tools available at UCL but this is an area for development. Turnitin does indicate whether a student has opened feedback but that is the extent of information provided.

Feedback Dashboards

Feedback dashboards aggregates feedback data, making it easier to track and assess student progress.

Yes

My Feedback (C) currently has limited functionality in this area. It displays Moodle and Turnitin assignment feedback for students and staff to view in one location. It only links to Turnitin as displaying comments is not enabled.

Feedback Tracking and Timelines

It is important to set clear expectations for students about when and how they can expect to receive feedback.

Yes

There are not yet any centralised tools available to allow tracking of the timing and distribution of feedback to ensure consistency and fairness but research in this area is underway. 

Simply using the VLE (Moodle) effectively for communication about how and when feedback will be provided will go a long way to supporting students. 

Handbooks could be provided in Moodle's Book resource (C) to make navigation easier and to allow for more visual and engaging presentation with links to guidance. 

Case study Enhancing the Student Experience with a Feedback Tracker by Adam Phillips, Head of Digital Education for the School of Pharmacy

Feedback Workshops and Tutorials

Develop video or interactive tutorials on providing and receiving feedback. You could:

• produce a screencast of talking through marking process using exemplars - why good, acceptable, poor.
• Use the marking scheme with students to do the same – ask them to apply to another set of exemplars.
• Develop a tutorial on peer feedback best practices.

Yes

• You can record screencasts through MS Teams (C)
• Medial (C) provided by Mediacentral software allows you to record directly into the platform, save and share recordings.
• Lecturecast (C) allows you to schedule and manage lecture recordings of teaching events, add and share materials with participants via Moodle and monitor and gather information about your classes.
• GoReact (D) allows students to create video assignments and receive personalised feedback individually or collaboratively.
• PowerPoint has an inbuilt screen recorder (C) in the 365 ppt app.
• MS Windows has an inbuilt screen recorder (C)
• OBS is free desktop capture software.
• For the Apple Mac OS there is an inbuilt recorder . Also this link about recording on Macs

Online discussion forum

Discussion forums can be set up to allow students to post questions related to assignments or course content. Forums encourage peer-to-peer feedback, reducing tutor workload while promoting collaborative learning.
Careful framing and explicit guidelines for participation in forums are essential. You might want to link the activity to learning outcomes or module participation requirements.

Yes, but best to create smaller groups to facilitate discussion.

• Moodle forums (C) are good for this. There is some help and information in the Moodle resource centre including principles of engagement that apply in any online setting.
• In MS Teams (C) you can usethe chat function for online discussions

Case study Assessing online discussion forum posts, Rochelle Burgess (UCL Institute for Global Health).

Online Surveys

Online surveys can help you gather insights on the effectiveness of your feedback methods and areas for improvement. Participation will be much enhanced by carrying out activities in class.

Yes

• Mentimeter (C) can be used to do interactive polls and collect feedback from students on the feedback they receive. This can be anonymised.
• Qualtrics (C) allows you to create surveys, feedback, polls and generate reports using a variety of distribution means. UCL has a site licence for Qualtrics XM. Check with your department if they have an instance of the software running before requesting access.

Peer Review and Self-Assessment

Students can provide feedback to their peers, reducing tutors' workload while promoting student engagement, critical thinking, collaborative learning and helping students see different perspectives. It also prepares students for the real-world skill of giving and receiving feedback. You can employ peer evaluation tools that allow students to assess and provide feedback on group projects or presentations.

Yes, but does need academic support and oversight.

• See also entries for Collaborative tools and AI as a feedback partner above.
• Moodle workshop (C) can accommodate different kinds of submitted work and supports peer and self-assessment. Workshop lets staff set up forms, rubrics or marking guides to support students in making judgements. Tutors can optionally assess the student submissions and assessments and weigh their own judgements in peer relations.

Portfolios

You can use portfolios to collect and reflect on feedback during the course of a semester. This can either be as part of ongoing project where work is submitted and feedback on that provided within the portfolio OR it can be simply a reflective tool for students to collect and comment on their feedback. This could be used as part of the assessment process – demonstrating how they use feedback effectively.

Yes, but would need a large tutor team to support and assess.

• MyPortfolio (C) can enable peer and tutor feedback as well as personal reflection (see separate entry below)
• OneNote (an app in MS Teams (C) can also be used.

Rubrics and Grading Templates

An assessment rubric is a grading template, aligned to course objectives and is used in the process of assessing student work.
 
Assessment criteria, grade boundaries and descriptions can be preloaded into an online matrix and include the option to add customised feedback.
Rubrics can help with:

• consistency, speed and efficiency in marking.
• providing structured feedback to enable students to understand how performance is judged and highlight areas for development therefore improving clarity of goals and standards.
• In conjunction with pre-submission activity can help student assessment literacy.

Yes

• Wiseflow (C) allows you to create a standard or customised rubric which can be shared with colleagues so that a template can be reviewed, agreed and tagged appropriately. Double marking is not straightforward and requires some workarounds so that the student receives one set of aligned feedback (rather than two separate rubrics)
• You can upload a Rubric into a Moodle Assignment (C) which let assessors click the level achieved for each criterion, and allow a comment for each which can briefly explain the level achieved. Students can easily access it. A Moodle glossary can be linked to the headings and descriptors of a Moodle rubric or marking form.
• Turnitin supports:
  A. Grading forms which allow marks and comments to be entered. It doesn't support weighting of criteria and or parallel marking as there is only a single grading form.
  B. Rubrics which allow assessors to click the level achieved for each criterion with percentage weightings and comments available. Both can be attached to the Turnitin portal at any time. Once attached students can view them. It supports open second marking, but not in parallel.

Virtual Office Hours

Students can ask questions and seek clarifications in real-time, making the feedback process more interactive. Also, students can see what other students are asking.

Yes, but might be more manageable if you divide into smaller groups.

Virtual office hours can be provided via MS Teams (C) for video conferencing or chat. You can just provide times and one Teams link which can be used for each session.