Abstract
Instructional feedback has the power to enhance learning. However, learners do not always feel satisfied with their feedback experience. Simultaneously, little attention has been paid on investigating how feedback is implemented in online competency-based learning (CBL). CBL is an approach under which learning activities are organized in a non-linear manner to help learners achieve pre-defined competencies. This study applied a multiple case study method, and 17,266 pieces of the coded feedback text, given by instructors for three learning tasks from a blended undergraduate course, were analyzed. The results showed that instructors implemented 11 types of feedback. Feedback that was used to give praise was less effective, but was frequently used. Regulative feedback and emotional feedback can be very effective, but they were actually rarely used. Feedback for diagnosis, suggesting improvements, and praise was frequently and consistently used across tasks with different complexity. In contrast, feedback used for complementary teaching and time management, as well as emotional feedback were rarely used. Based on the obtained findings, the potential causes and suggestions for improving feedback implementation were discussed.
Highlights
With the rapid growth of online learning in higher education (Seaman et al 2018), concerns like mixed effects on learning outcomes (Nguyen 2015), poor retention rates (Bawa 2016), and insufficient learner feedback (Sunar et al 2015) have emerged
While feedback is intensively used in online competency-based learning (CBL), several studies reported that learners are not satisfied with the received feedback (HEA 2019; Mulliner and Tucker 2017; Williams et al 2008)
This study aimed to examine the practice of implementing feedback by instructors on learners’ submitted assignments supporting online CBL
Summary
With the rapid growth of online learning in higher education (Seaman et al 2018), concerns like mixed effects on learning outcomes (Nguyen 2015), poor retention rates (Bawa 2016), and insufficient learner feedback (Sunar et al 2015) have emerged. In CBL, a variety of supports, including feedback, are offered by instructors to help learners. High-quality feedback working with repetitive practice can help competency development (Eppich et al 2015) and increase interaction between learners and instructors. While feedback is intensively used in online CBL, several studies reported that learners are not satisfied with the received feedback (HEA 2019; Mulliner and Tucker 2017; Williams et al 2008). Previous literature reported that feedback can have differing effects on learning, ranging from strong to weak positive effects (Ivers et al 2012), neutral (Fong et al 2019) or even negative effects (Hu et al 2016). Feedback is crucial to competency development and used extensively in online CBL, but the lack of consistent positive effects on learning is a concern. It is crucial to investigate how feedback is used and how the practice of giving feedback may be improved
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