The world of e-learning continues to grow, giving people easy access to a plethora of international courses, certificates, and degrees. There are many benefits to online education. You can dive into programs offered by institutions across the globe, experience the freedom of studying when and how you want, pay less for quality schooling, and try out entertaining and interactive educational platforms. But there are some downsides to online learning, too.
One of the most crucial factors in effective learning is receiving feedback on your work. As a student, you want to know if you understand the material, how you are progressing, and whether you are spending your time wisely.
This in-person interaction is absent from online learning, and students risk getting demotivated. This has real consequences. Lack of feedback is the most common reason students drop out of online courses.
This article will examine why e-learning often lacks student feedback and why this is an issue. But for each of these issues, we will also look at possible solutions which will enable people to reap the benefits of online learning without the costs.
Table of Contents
Why is feedback lacking in e-learning?
The following are some of the main reasons why student feedback can be lacking in e-learning:
1. Lack of live and face-to-face communication
In traditional teaching settings, learners and instructors interact in person. If you have a question or are struggling with a topic, you can raise your hand, speak to the lecturer after class, or visit them during their office hours. The live and interactive nature of the lessons also tends to be more engaging than merely reading and progressing on your own. With online learning, this face-to-face interaction is absent.
Sometimes online courses are entirely asynchronous, meaning that students log onto the website or application and access lessons whenever is suitable for them. But this convenience comes at a cost. Seeking answers, clarification, or feedback regarding the content or work can be trickier for several reasons I will explain below.
Although some programs offer live online audio and video classes with the teacher and fellow learners, this is not always possible. Students might live in different time zones and regions of the globe, and often they juggle their online classes with their jobs, families, and other commitments. This can make it challenging to coordinate a time for live sessions.
Solution: Live video and audio tutorials with a teacher and a group of peers can allow for more immediate feedback and group debate, both of which benefit learners. Although it can be challenging to coordinate around different time-zones, a little preparation and planning can make a difference. Instructors should get to know where their students live. Where possible, the tutorial times should be within standard business hours for all learners, or if not, the times should be flexible, with students indicating their availability. Students could also be grouped together for tutorials based on similar time-zones.
If none of this is possible, the instructor can share pre-recorded tutorials with students who cannot make the live sessions. They can also set up asynchronous activities like discussion boards where learners can interact with their instructors and peers. Students can come up with questions or conversation points, and their peers can debate or answer them, facilitated/corrected by an instructor.
Solution: Live video and audio tutorials with a teacher and a group of peers can allow for more immediate feedback and group debate, both of which benefit learners. Although it can be challenging to coordinate around different time-zones, a little preparation and planning can make a difference. Instructors should get to know where their students live. Where possible, the tutorial times should be within standard business hours for all learners on the course, or if not, the times should be flexible, with students indicating their availability. Students could also be grouped together for tutorials based on similar time-zones.
If none of this is possible, the instructor can share pre-recorded tutorials with students who cannot make the live sessions. They can also set up asynchronous activities like discussion boards where learners can interact with their instructors and peers. Students can come up with questions or conversation points, and their peers can debate or answer them, facilitated/corrected by an instructor.
2. Lack of peer feedback
An aspect of learning that is often overlooked is the feedback one receives from peers. Discussing the course material with others, in addition to your instructor, can be an effective way of engaging with and reflecting on the lessons and course content. In face-to-face education, students interact directly or indirectly with each other, not just the instructor. They pose questions, answer them, or listen to their peers do the same. This active engagement with the material can lead to increased understanding.
But with online learning, this peer-to-peer communication can be significantly reduced. Sometimes, you might not have any way of interacting with learning peers. However, in many online courses, you can talk with fellow learners asynchronously through written communication. While this method has potential, there are some ways in which it does not live up to in-person discussions and peer feedback. For example, peer feedback via written forums can be inconsistent.
Solution: Although students may be more cautious when engaging in live online tutorials or seminars, students can be actively encouraged to contribute by making some participation compulsory. Alternatively, students can have a chance to present or talk on particular topics in rotation. These are similar to methods that may encourage reflection and engagement during in-person classes.
As already mentioned, providing a platform for discussion, such as an online forum, can be a good way of encouraging post-tutorial or lesson reflection. While learners’ contributions may be erratic, thereby limiting the amount of peer feedback, instructors could also make post-tutorial peer review mandatory or more streamlined (more on this later).
Some language learning platforms, such as Busuu, are even built up around crowdsourcing peer feedback on written assignments through incentive systems.
3. Lack of nonverbal communication
Communicating via writing is a popular way for peers and their instructors to interact online. But this can have challenges. There is something natural about in-person interaction. People communicate not only with words but also with their body language and facial expressions. We use many visual cues to understand and absorb what others are saying, which is especially important in group interactions.
Even if a course offers live online classes using audio and video, instructors might find that students are less willing to engage partly because nonverbal communication is still limited in these scenarios. When a student speaks, they are unaware of how their peers or instructors are responding due to limited nonverbal feedback. It is not the same as sitting with a group at a seminar or tutorial where aided by nonverbal and visual cues, people might feel more comfortable and more spontaneous in their communication. This can result in less engagement and feedback from the instructor and peers.
Solution: Instructors can emphasize their nonverbal cues during live online sessions by angling their camera correctly, maintaining eye contact with students, and using more hand gestures. Additionally, there can be a synchronous whiteboard where students can contribute simultaneously and do group work.
4. Feedback on assessment is often generalized and impersonal
Many online courses use multiple choice or false/negative tests in their assessments. This kind of evaluation can result in limited feedback because it does not test the ability of students in-depth. Additionally, a computer rather than the instructor often grade these tests. When there is feedback directly from the teacher, it tends to be general and intended for the whole group. Students might find this impersonal style off-putting, given how vital feedback and tutoring are for learning and understanding.
Solution: Individual feedback from teachers can be improved by making “virtual office hours” available for students. During certain times of the day, learners can contact their instructor if they need help or have questions. This can be done through video calls or even instant messaging.
Suppose in online courses there are too many enrolled students for the instructor to give individual and personalized feedback. In that case, there are other avenues for improving feedback. We have discussed the critical role of peer feedback and how to encourage it through written discussion boards. Because students have more time to reflect on and evaluate the content and questions of their peers, this asynchronous style can encourage more thoughtful peer feedback.
And not only is it useful for the learners who receive individual feedback from peers, but it is also beneficial for those giving the comments. Considering the work of their peers encourages students to think critically and makes them reflect on their own work.
In terms of platform choice, for learning language, try the above-mentioned Busuu, and if pursuing IT-related topics, consider a platform like Udacity, which while on the pricier side, provides you with personal feedback and support on your assignments.
5. Feedback can be delayed
If you have a burning question about course content, waiting weeks for your query to be answered can be frustrating. By the time you receive an answer, you might have already moved on to new content and lessons. Unfortunately, this is sometimes the reality of online learning. Because correspondence is usually over e-mail and other asynchronous communication, there is often a delay between feedback requests and the instructor’s response. Especially for those pursuing an education in which they have no prior background, having fairly instant access to instructors is essential for progressing smoothly.
Solution: We have already covered several online course methods which allow students to receive more immediate feedback. Live tutorial sessions with instructors and peers enable students to ask questions immediately. Virtual office hours can also make feedback faster to access. Peer discussion boards could also help with this, given that more people might be available to give feedback.
6. Avenues for feedback can be time-consuming
It may seem that online interactions such as e-mail and forums are easier than going to a campus to speak to a lecturer or attend a seminar. But asynchronous communication can take more time. Instead of joining a class and being able to ask questions and discuss issues with peers right then and there, students might have to alternate between different platforms. Perhaps they must watch a tutorial video, read and monitor a peer discussion board, and then e-mail their instructor and await a response.
Similarly, for teachers, instead of spending a few minutes during and after class talking to students, or chatting to them during office hours, online learning means they can be contacted easily at any time. Whereas perhaps only a few students would make an effort to see a lecturer during office hours, learners can now effortlessly e-mail their teachers whenever they have an issue or question. This can lead to their inboxes being constantly flooded with questions.
Solution: Live synchronous lessons can save time since it reduces the need to engage with multiple platforms. Where there are written discussion boards, courses can minimize reading time by streamlining peer feedback and conversations. For example, one person or a small group can contribute questions or debate points on a rotational basis every week, and other students only have to respond to this or contribute voluntarily. Those reading the forums need only focus on the main argument point/question and can just briefly read over the other contributions. Students could also be given a guide that sets out what aspects they should focus on when giving feedback.
7. Online feedback requires more self-discipline
With minimal and impersonal feedback, students must be more self-directed and motivate themselves to take initiative. A multiple-choice quiz grade might provide some feedback and encourage learners to work harder in this or that area. But it is not the same as having a tutor or another mentor consistently checking in and holding them accountable.
Solution: When personalized feedback for individual students is limited, something like Blackboard, which lists course progression and grades, can help to motivate students. Including grade averages can also be helpful so that students can get a sense of how they are doing compared to others. Students should also be aware that online learning requires this added discipline before taking it on. Live sessions that require a student to be online and interacting could also help to keep learners on track.
Concluding remarks
There are various reasons why student feedback might be limited in online learning. Seeking help can be more challenging when there is a lack of face-to-face and live interaction. Communicating with instructors via asynchronous communication like e-mail can be slow. And although peer discussion can provide personalized feedback that is often lacking in online courses, reading and writing responses can be time-consuming.
But technology is continuously improving, and schools can use several tools and methods to improve their feedback systems so that students remain motivated and committed to their courses. The benefits of e-learning are attractive to both students and institutions, and the industry will continue to grow. Making the online educational journey as smooth and engaging as possible is critical, and improving student feedback is just the beginning.
