By Gareth Bramley, School of Law
This post was originally written in 2019 and published on the old Elevate blog.
Over the last 3 years or so, I have been piloting the use of audio feedback in my own teaching, specifically
in relation to formative assessments. My initial interest was piqued by immersion in the literature
surrounding this difficult issue, together with my own experiences of giving and receiving feedback.
For those that have ever given feedback and subsequently reflected on the process for themselves
and their students, the literature supports the general questions that often arise:
- Are my students reflecting on the feedback I am giving?
- Are my students using the feedback as ‘feedforward’ to subsequent summative assessments?
- Are my students actually aware of what the purpose of feedback is?
The answer to these questions, with traditional written feedback, is often ‘no’. This is particularly
unfortunate, given both the pedagogical aims of giving feedback and the high level of time and effort put
in by most staff into the feedback process.
The problematic issues with written feedback are often created by a combination of factors. These
include: student perception of written comments being negative (particularly when accompanied by a
mark that is perceived as lower than expected), student perception of a lack of effort put into the
comments by the tutor, student perception of the written comments not being focused at the specific
student, and a decrease in students reading or reflecting on the feedback.
The use of audio feedback (that is, the recording of voice comments to replace or support any written
comments on the script) can address a number of these challenges. In particular, audio feedback can
be replayed from anywhere (via a device) as many times as needed, with formative feedback the
student’s name can be narrated to confirm its bespoke nature, audio can lend itself to the natural
attributes of ‘Generation Z’ learners, and the tone of voice can change the perception of feedback from
negative to constructive in nature (even where critique is being given).
I did experience some initial challenges and doubts when embarking on the use of audio feedback,
despite the clear pedagogical benefits stated. In particular, I was worried about whether I would be able
to get to grips with the technology, what my voice would sound like, and whether I would have to
re-record things thus leading to a longer process (which many can ill afford, with ever increasing
marking levels). However, I can honestly say that these fears were quickly allayed. The technology was
intuitive (I used Kaltura Capture, but many other free options are available), my voice sounded clear
(particularly when I used a plug in microphone) and I found out that students did not mind a
conversational unscripted style. They felt that this came across as more genuine and that I was an
active part of their learning process.
I have, therefore, started to record and deliver audio feedback in all of my formative work. As with the
arm, the voice can get tired, but the level of effort has been richly rewarded where previously it clearly
has not. Having surveyed students numerous times since embarking on this change, I have had almost
universal positivity combined with a number of students commenting on how much effort I had clearly
put in (sadly this clearly had not been recognised before!). I really would encourage people to just give
it a go, and to perhaps start small if they have similar fears. Remember to work with a learning
technologist to get the finer technical points right, and try to keep the recording relatively succinct
(studies suggest 5-10 minutes might be the most any student will be willing to take on board, unless the
submitted piece is complex or long, and audio forms the only form of feedback provided).
Please share your stories with others, and with me if you do give it a try – I really hope it leads to a more
rewarding feedback experience for both you and your students.