Web-based Learning Solutions for Communities of Practice

The Impact of Quality E-Feedback as an Element of Social Learning Theory
5. Empowerment to Request for More
Guidance
◦ Could you please guide me?
◦ I want to understand from you what
went wrong and request your guidance
to improve my score immediately.
◦ I ask for your kind advice on my
troubles that I have due to a sudden
change of work environment.
6. Increase in Self-Confidence
◦ I would like to take a moment and
express my sincere appreciation on
what I am learning. Professor inputs
have aligned my knowledge, enhanced
professional working, now I
felt more confident.
◦ Seeing your feedback on my DB performance,
I feel relaxed.
◦ Professor inputs have aligned my
knowledge, enhanced professional
working, now I felt more confident.
7. Inconsistency in e-Feedback Quality across
Different Modules
◦ Thank you for the feedback. This being
my 6th module, I must say you
are the first professor to take the
time to provide useful and constructive
feedback. Thank you, it is much
appreciated!
◦ I am deeply touched by your neatly
organized feedback on my case
analysis. I have read your feedback
not less than 10 times. I have never
expected that any guide tutor would
give me so long a reply as you did to
my performance.
◦ I thank you for your conscientious
work and what you did beyond your
responsibility if compared to other
courses I have taken.
In a study by Roberts (1996), geology students
indicated that their preference was for detailed
feedback. Similarly, Rice, M., Mousley, I., &
Davis, R. (1994) found that detailed comments
were most helpful to students when asked about
their opinions on feedback in general. Another
study by Stevenson, K., Sander, P., & Naylor, P.
(1996) also showed that students desired detailed
comments on their work. It is apparent that the
student comments on facilitator e-feedback confirm
with the literature.
It is evident from this data that e-feedback given
in an online learning environment does vary in
depth and thus quality. Some of the facilitators give
more guidance, clarity and educational feedback
to the student than others. Moreover, the study
confirmed that different types of performance
feedback have various effects on the learners’ selfefficacy
(Schunk & Lilly, 1984). In addition, the
student reactions to feedback obviously indicate
that comprehensive and informative e-feedback
facilitate “cognitive growth in peer collaborations”
(Kim, Y., Baylor, A.L., 2006).
Characteristics of Quality
e-Feedback as an Element
of Social Learning
Considering the different degrees of feedback
provided to the students along with the identified
categories as far as the impact of feedback
is concerned, it is evident that an e-feedback
model must include certain considerations in
order to provide an effective and quality social
learning environment in online university, or
web-based community of practice. In order to
design e-feedback effectively in an online learning
environment, the following multiple criteria
need to be considered simultaneously:
• Feedback should always be positive and
constructive.
• Consider feedback style (guiding, supporting,
improving, informative vs.
motivational).
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