Involve, Engage & Improve – How Live, Social Feedback Enhances the Classroom Experience

Technological advancements and the readiness of online information have changed how students learn, interact and engage. The rise of the connected age directly impacts education with increasing focus on leveraging technology to support institutional outcomes. Limited funding and changes in student expectations have put greater importance on improving the student experience. To remain competitive, educational institutions are dedicating time and resources to understand student expectations and are using feedback to guide them.

Moving beyond the ‘autopsy approach’

One tool that’s commonly used to gain student input are end-of-term course evaluations. However, the days of relying solely on summative feedback has past. The ‘autopsy approach’ is no longer enough to gain a comprehensive view of the changes in student expectations, learning and satisfaction. Diagnosing problems at the end of the term does not effectively engage students, as they never witness the impact of their feedback.

Many institutions recognize this challenge and are beginning to gauge student sentiment earlier on by using mid-term evaluations. This is a move in the right direction; however, waiting until mid-term may be too late to take action on certain issues. Imagine a student that is having difficulty understanding the instructor, but isn’t comfortable pointing out the issue in person. Waiting to solicit student input in a structured manner (mid or end-of-term evaluation) could be too late to remedy in-class issues like this. That is why adopting a proactive approach that allows for daily, corrective action to be implemented is crucial.

Tapping into students’ daily social sharing routine

The solution is to use all available methods of student feedback (mid & end-of-term evaluations) in addition to frequent, in-class, real-time feedback techniques to gain a more complete and accurate picture. What is needed is a channel that is familiar to the current generation of students, something that connects with their existing desire to be heard and taps into their daily routine of social sharing. By adopting technology that matches a student’s desire to participate with an instructor’s learning objectives, institutions can gain insights through frequent feedback updates.

Imagine bringing the benefits of direct communication, the accessibility of social media and the reporting features of course evaluations together in one place. That’s what is possible with Bluepulse. Bluepulse is an open social feedback platform that ties student sentiment directly to classroom improvement. Now students have the opportunity to make daily suggestions and instructors can use the input to improve the teaching and learning experience. Assessment no longer happens just at the end of the term; there is a steady ‘pulse’ of student feedback.

Live social feedback benefits everyone

Using real-time social feedback benefits institutions, instructors and students, resulting in an elevated learning experience:

1. Improve instructor/student relationship:

   Using a tool like Bluepulse strengthens the instructor and student relationship by creating a collaborative communication channel. Continuous and anonymous feedback is shared, which establishes truly open dialogue. Instructors are empowered to take immediate action showing students that they are responsive to their concerns. Improving teaching and learning is a mutual endeavor, where students are active partners in shaping the classroom experience. With student suggestions shared with the instructor, the whole process becomes more collaborative. This increases credibility and trust and will keep feedback in-house, instead of students using outside sources like ratemyprofessors.com.

2. Encourage student involvement:

   Using real-time social feedback allows students to participate in the conversation in a familiar manner. Engagement and participation increases as it becomes easier for students to get involved and have a say. Students feel empowered because they see first-hand that their feedback has value and they benefit directly from it. Furthermore, students have a voice in how the course progresses and can take ownership of their personal learning outcomes.

3. Increase instructor engagement:

   Instructors become more engaged in assessments as social feedback gives them more control over the process. Instructors have the opportunity to receive daily input that they can use to increase teaching effectiveness. This type of feedback enables instructors to immediately address concerns and make changes that directly affect students. With Bluepulse, instructors are able to track improvements in the course and identify key areas for further development. Instructors also benefit because they receive ongoing, timely feedback and are not surprised by end-of-term evaluation results.

Incorporating student social feedback with traditional evaluation methods enhances both teaching and learning overall. Increased engagement has a positive impact on the reputation of the school and plays a part in shaping the curriculum, teaching aptitude and learning objectives. Institutions that tailor academic offerings to the needs of students and faculty are well on their way to increasing their competitive edge, attracting and retaining students and embarking on a path of continuous improvement.

After all, isn’t improvement what educational institutions seek to achieve when it comes to student learning outcomes? Through anonymous social feedback, institutions can harness a better approach by leveraging tools that instill a culture of continuous daily improvement for all!