TLP Blog

Recently I read an article that stated the number one complaint of students taking online classes is the lack of instructor feedback. Of all student complaints, I have to say this one is worth special attention. Feedback is something we need in order to become better. Whether it is on a personal level when you ask someone how your cooking tastes, or on a professional level when you read your annual review, feedback helps to shape our processes and actions.

In the article, Overcoming the #1 Complaint of Online Students: Poor Instructor Feedback by Errol Sull in Distance Learning, Online Education, the author describes surveying 300 students who overwhelmingly state that poor feedback from their instructors is a major concern. I have listed his ideas below and with each, give my take on it and where in Vista instructors can address this concern.
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For the past nine years Educause has conducted a survey to determine the top issues facing postsecondary leaders on campuses across the nation. This year’s survey is especially noteworthy in that the previous top issue, funding, was bumped from the number one spot by security.

If you’re interested in the top-down approach to campus information technology issues and strategies, a look at this document is well worth the time.

Presented by Jim Julius, Cal State somewhere-down-south San Diego State University.

Concerns-based adoption model references Michael Fullan’s change map- you need the following to achieve complex change (like adoption of technology on campus): vision, skills, incentives, resources, action plan. Absent any one of these, you will have problems! The least severe is the lack if incentive – this results in gradual change. I see our rollout of the Vista LMS of this; faculty had no incentive to move, not even the prospect of free instructional design services (Northern Arizona model).

Components of CBAM:
stages of concern
These range from lower (self-focused) to higher (impact). Stages can be assessed through 35-Q survey.

• 0: awareness
• 1: informational
• 2: personal
• 3: mgmt
• 4: consequence
• 5: collaboration
• 6: refocusing

Lower stages (0,1,2): needing more information, to see it personally.
Middle stages (3): mechanics (how to)
Impact stages (4,5,6): how is this helping, how can I make this better?

Level of use tool : this is an interview metric performed by trained interviewers – data found to be less useful than levels of concern except for research.

Innovation configurations involves developing a local, specific rubric to measure implementation and make a “map”. This helped Jim Julius’ group to determine action to take based in results: more constant communication, continued development.