Students' View of Feedback on Electronic Assignments

Abstract

With the rapid development of technology, more and more universities put courses online. Electronic submissions become ordinary and seem largely reasonable choices. Yet, those instructors who employ blended approaches to interacting with students may also require students to submit their assignments electronically even though instructors and students meet on campus regularly as scheduled. Providing electronic feedback (e-feedback) by instructors becomes one of the central concerns in higher education. However, there is limited research in students’ views of e-feedback provided on submissions. This study, part of a large study, was intended to fill the void. All undergraduate students from a Midwestern university were surveyed regarding what they support: e-feedback and handwritten feedback and what their perceptions on efeedback based on the following five categories: accessibility, timeliness, legibility, quality and personal. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results show that the majority of the respondents preferred e-feedback for accessibility, timeliness, and legibility. While there were not as many supporters as those for accessibility, timeliness, and legibility, the theme of quality was supported more than that of personal. In this article, addressed are also limitations, educational implications, and future research suggestions.

Keywords: feedback, electronic feedback, instructors, student