Alternative Feedback and Assessment
Interacting with the simulated students allowed me to experience what I may encounter as an online instructor. At times, it can be hard to construct a response to a student that is both respectful and truthful. Dealing with plagiarism was insightful because I was not sure how harsh I should be, and what the students were taught regarding consequences when breaking academic integrity. My initial response was to give the student a quick chance to redo his assignment. I also emphasized that I was allowing this because he had never plagiarized before, and I felt that he may need more information on the importance of academic integrity. As I reflect on this, I am questioning my choice to give a second chance, as an adult learner, the student should be aware of what plagiarism is. That is what I find challenging about being a new instructor; knowing if you are making the right choices for your students. One way you can be reassured is to find a mentor, such as a department chair or colleague.
One strategy that I gleaned from the learning resources in this module is emphasizing the importance of following the syllabus. The course syllabus needs to be clear and concise about instructions and expectations (ASU, n.d.). Taking the time to review the syllabus at the beginning of the course and reviewing academic integrity along with being open to students that have questions is imperative in creating a transparent relationship between the instructor and the student (ASU, n.d.).
Lastly, when seeking additional resources about feedback I gained insight into using feedback tools besides the paper evaluations that many nursing institutions provide. According to Hunukumbure et al. (2021), effective feedback should involve a two-way conversation between the instructor and the student. This interactive feedback is effective because, unlike paper evaluations, it can be specific, relevant, and transparent (Hunukumbure et al., 2021).
Arizona State University (n.d.). What is academic integrity? Retrieved on October 15th, 2021, from: https://provost.asu.edu/academic-integrity/resources/students
Hunukumbure, A. D., Horner, P. J., Fox, J. & Thakerar, V. (2021). An online discussion between students and teachers: a way forward for meaningful teacher feedback? BMC Medical Education, 21(1), 1–9. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02730-8
Sample Answer
Education
Post 1
Instructor-student interactions are essential throughout the course because they enable the student to cope with the various issues regarding the study. For instance, students may not understand the seriousness of plagiarism until they are caught in a situation where they lose their scores. Having their assignments canceled is a hard way to learn. But, it is not the most effective considering that the instructor should play a role in guiding them before they do their work. The instructor should explain the consequences of plagiarism before the students engage in their work to avoid time wastage repeating the same issue to individual students or the whole class. First, the students need to understand the objectives of the syllabus or the topic to apply their understanding to the assignments provided (Arizona State University, n.d.). As a result, they will avoid plagiarism from the early stages of the course study. The students will put more effort into applying what they have learned during the lessons to their theory and practical assignments. Feedback from the instructor is also important because the student gets to know more about their performance, and the instructor explains more about their expectation from the students (Hunukumbure et al., 2021). The instructor should be consistent in giving feedback because it also promotes confidence in the student’s effort to explore their studies. When the students find that the instructor is approachable, they consult more about their studies which results to improved performance (McCarthy, 2017). Furthermore, the best student performance is contributed by the instructor and the student.
References
- Arizona State University (n.d.). What is academic integrity? Retrieved on October 15th, 2021, from: https://provost.asu.edu/academic-integrity/resources/students
- Hunukumbure, A. D., Horner, P. J., Fox, J. & Thakerar, V. (2021). An online discussion between students and teachers: a way forward for meaningful teacher feedback? BMC Medical Education, 21(1), 1–9. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02730-8
- McCarthy, J. (2017). Enhancing feedback in higher education: Students’ attitudes towards online and in-class formative assessment feedback models. Active Learning in Higher Education, 18, 127–141. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787417707615
