Online feedback on student compositions: Overcoming the limitations of traditional feedback

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Online feedback on student compositions
Overcoming the limitations of traditional
feedback

• Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at
  UniversityEnhancing the Learning Experience of
  Modern Languages through Feedback
• Bristol University, School of Modern Languages,
  25 May 2012
• Dr Michael Märlein

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Should feedback be given?
No
Yes

• Truscott
• (1996, 1999, 2007)
• Semke (1984)
• Kepner (1991)
• Sheppard (1992)

• Ferris
• (1999, 2004, 2006)
• Ferris Roberts (2001)
• Lee (1997, 2004)
• Chandler (2003)
• Bitchener (2008)

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What type of feedback?
Direct feedback
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What type of feedback?
Indirect coded feedback
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Error codes

• Size of the code system(e.g. Cohen Cavalcanti
  1990, Lee 2004)
• Code labels(e.g. Lee 1997)

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Code labels
M The verb has been placed in the wrong mood
usually subjunctive will need to be replaced by
the indicative or vice versa. (Lalande 1982, p.
148)
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Code labels
mF morphologischer Fehler (Kleppin 1997, p. 144)
UN UNMÖGLICH! No such word or construction exists
in German. (Lalande 1982, p. 148)
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Error codes

• Size of the code system(e.g. Cohen Cavalcanti
  1990, Lee 2004)
• Code labels(e.g. Lee 1997)
• Support for self-correction(e.g. Conrad
  Goldstein 1999, Ferris 1995)

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New code system

• spelling
• ending
• form
• wrong word
• position
• missing word
• unnecessary word

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The feedback dilemma
Comprehensive feedback expected (e.g. Lee 2004)
Selective feedback most suitable (e.g. Ferris
1999)
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The feedback dilemma
Support for self-correction (e.g. Ferris 1995)
Guided self-correction process
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New feedback tool

• tool presentation

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Student evaluation results
stronglyagree
stronglydisagree
agree
disagree

• I liked seeing only the errors of one category
  (critical, major, medium, minor) at a time.
• The feedback/correction hint provided for each
  marked error made it easier for me to
  self-correct the error.
• This type of feedback helped me more to improve
  my writing than traditional feedback I received
  before.
• The online feedback was easy to use.

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