Audio Podcast Feedback - An Alternative, A Complement, or A Replacement? Dr Wenxian (Hetty) Sun SMS, Business School, University of Greenwich

What students think about ‘feedback’

Net Generation and Digital Natives

Questions and Method Questions: 1. How well the audio podcast feedback is received? 2. Is it an alternative, a complement or a replacement to written feedback? Method: questionnaire survey 42 MBA Students Summative Assessment 24 Students Course 1 Sustainable Strategy Individual Report 1 (50%) Individual Report 2 (50%) 18 Students Course 2 Project Management Group Presentation (20%) Individual Oral Test (20%) Group Report (20%) Marking Rubrics Group Performance Specific section/pointIndividual Oral Test Written FeedbackAudio Podcast

Findings 1: well-received audio podcast feedback

Findings 2: audio and written feedback BOTH please!

Finding 3: students have interest/ability in using technology in general but perhaps NOT in learning

Conclusions  Students’ attitudes of receiving audio podcast feedback are very positive because it allows lecturer to provide more specific and precise comments on the performance of each individual student. It also highlights the fact that audio podcast feedback which is easy, interactive and requires less-reading fits the Net Generation’s learning style better as comparing to the traditional written feedback (Oblinger and Oblinger, 2005).  It cannot completely replace the traditional written feedback. They should rather exist simultaneously while the written feedback can be ideally used as a complementary method.  Although students are known as the ‘Net Generation’ or ‘Digital Natives’, it is not likely for them to use technologically-driven approaches in the context of teaching and learning (McWilliam 2002). Therefore, lecturers/tutors still play an important role in directing students of applying technology in their learning activities.

Further Study  The term 'audio culture' has been pointed out in earlier research (Middleton et al., 2009) which shows that audio feedback is welcome within different types of environments -formal or informal.  However, as responding to student's feedback in this research which says audio feedback is less 'professional', further study can be developed in terms of how audio feedback can be made differently as comparing to oral communication (the latter could perhaps become more useful in an informal conversation with academics and peers).

 France, D., and Wheeler, A., (2007), Reflections on using Podcasting for Student Feedback, Planet, Issue 18,  Jones, C. and Shao, B., (2011), The net generation and digital natives: implications for higher education. Higher Education Academy, York, UK.  Kolb, D.A., (1984), Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs NJ.  McWilliam, E. L. (2002 ). Against professional development. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 34(3),  Middleton, A., Nortcliffe, A. and Owens, R (2009), “iGather: learners as responsible audio collectors of tutor, peer and self reflection” A Word in Your Ear - Audio Feedback Conference: Sheffield, UK  Oblinger, D. G., and Oblinger, J. (2005). Educating the Net Generation. EDUCAUSE Online book. Retrieved from:  Prensky, M. (2001a). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.  Prensky, M. (2001b). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, part 2: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6), 6.  Tapscott, D. (1998). Growing up digital: The rise of the Net generation. New York: McGraw-Hill. References