Sounds Good: Quicker, better assessment using audio feedback
Overview
Building on very small-scale work using MP3 files for summative feedback on one programme, the Sounds Good team will widen the focus to both formative and summative feedback in various disciplines at different educational levels. The experimentation will include delivering digital sound files containing feedback to students via a virtual learning environment, email and mobile devices such as widely-available MP3 players.
Aims and objectives
To establish whether it is possible to give richer feedback to students and save assessors’ time.
Project methodology
A team of about 15 Leeds Met staff will pilot the use of digital audio to provide students with feedback on their assessed work. Students will be provided with two ‘rounds’ of audio feedback on an item of coursework. In the main, one round will be formative feedback and the other summative. Students and staff will be invited to complete a short questionnaire after each round of audio feedback. After both rounds of audio feedback, a focus group (or two) will be held for selected students who have received audio feedback in Sounds Good.
Anticipated outputs and outcomes
- Practice guidelines (written and as podcasts) for practitioners wishing to use digital audio for feedback to students;
- Advice on integration of digital audio feedback into a widely-used virtual learning environment (Blackboard Vista).
- Reflective project blog.
- Project report for JISC.
- Conference and workshop presentations.
- Paper submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.
Technology / Standards used
- Digital audio recording; MP3 files.
Lead Institution
Project Staff
Project Manager
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Bob Rotheram, National Teaching Fellow, Reader in Assessment, Learning and Teaching, Office of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (ALT), Leeds Metropolitan University. Phone: 0113 812 9045, Fax: 0113 812 8542,
b.rotheram@leedsmet.ac.uk
Project Team
- Deputy Project Manager: Simon Thomson, Principal Lecturer, Leeds Met
- Research Adviser: Dr Jill Taylor, National Teaching Fellow, Director of Technology-Enhanced Learning Team, Leeds Met