I’m a big
believer in feedback. My students are never at a lack of feedback in their
writing. I believe in lots of practice for analytical writing, and on all of
these assignments (which many students complain there are too many) I provide
lots of ink for their consideration. Of necessity, there is more critical (not
negative) feedback than positive. I do mark where I think they’ve done well,
but what they truly need is to know where they need to make improvements.
I just wish
more of them would actually use the feedback. Many, many students when they
receive an assignment back, skip straight to the grade, never to look back over
my other comments.
It’s a frustrating state of affairs,
and I wonder, quite often, why I bother with so much work when it’s
unappreciated.
And then I wonder if there’s a
better way. Is there a way to get students to look and acknowledge the feedback
as opposed to the grade? Is there a way to make my grading quicker without
compromising the level of feedback I give them?
I’m still searching.