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Feedback, VLES, Rubrics, and Netiquette

Providing feedback to students in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) is
key and a challenge for any instructor involved in this teaching scenario. Feedback
is a key element in education since based on it learners can continue building up
on their newly-acquired knowledge especially by means of online literacy. Its
absence simply means that the teacher is not really backing student learning up
but is leaving them on their own, as if they were stranded. Feedback is also a great
challenge for the instructor as well, and finding the best way to provide it means
that the instructor can bridge any gap in terms of student content comprehension
and their cognitive interaction with the subject-matter being studied.

A way to bridge that teaching and learning gap is by means of rubrics and
what they imply for both educational actors: the instructor and the students. But
a rubric is a challenge for both when it comes to getting feedback. In an online
virtual environment, how can the instructor deliver his suggestions and
constructive criticism towards his/her student without affecting student affective
filter? Experts have proposed different ways to approach this issue, yet one of the
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Blog entries written by Prof. Jonathan Acua
most striking constructive ways of doing so is by using the principles behind
netiquette.

A way to provide effective feedback to learners is by keeping in mind the
basics in netiquette. Netiquette, or the rules of etiquette that apply when
communicating over computer networks, especially the Internet (Dictionary.com),
is essential in any kind of VLE interaction among students and teacher, teacher
student, and student student. But in the case of teacher-student communication
is key to provide feedback by means of rubrics and the like. Northern Arizona
University (2014), on its Webpage posted what they have called the Netiquette
Resources for VLE interaction, and the dos and donts of this sort of etiquette are
quite well clarified for users of VLE platforms. By means of this, lots of
misunderstandings can be avoided and a more effective and direct communication
can be ensured.

The Netiquette Resources provided by the Northern Arizona University
(2014), and which must be considered when providing feedback or interacting with
students, can perfectly be stated from the instructors standpoint as the following:

Netiquette for Instructors
1. Avoid offending learners
2. Avoid sarcasm and subtleties
3. Make the extra effort to be courteous
4. Make it personal by signing your name after each posting
5. Be positive when reading and responding to learners
6. Be aware of students diverse culture(s) and sub-cultures
7. Use emoticons when needed to express your feelings towards their efforts
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8. Write for readability, that is, so everyone can understand your formative
assessment
9. Dont provide feedback in too little words or lengthy comments; just try to
be brief and direct
10. Be aware of spelling; check what you are typing before submission
11. Keep in mind that whatever is written is recorded
12. Provide additional resources when necessary to help students continue to
learn
Retrieved from and modified for educational purposes from Netiquette Resources, Northern Arizona University,
http://www2.nau.edu/d-elearn/support/tutorials/discrubrics/netiquette.php
Adapted by Prof. Jonathan Acua


With the help of these simple ideas, instructors can mitigate
misunderstandings and wrong conceptions coming from unsatisfied pupils
complaining to teachers or to other faculty members. With this dozen of netiquette
rules, instructors and learners can set a great way of communication when dealing
with formative or even summative assessment and feedback.



Netiquette. Dictionary.Com. (2014) Retrieved on May 5, 2014 from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/netiquette?s=t

Northern Arizona University. (2014). Netiquette Resource. Retrieved on May 5, 2014
from the Northern Arizona University Webpage at http://www2.nau.edu/d-
elearn/support/tutorials/discrubrics/netiquette.php


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Blog entries written by Prof. Jonathan Acua


To fully comprehend the scope of this teaching reflections, it is highly advisable that
the following topics must be expanded further:
Effective ways of providing feedback
Feedback in online education
Use of rubrics for positive criticism
Summative assessment as feedback


Professor Jonathan Acua-Solano
ELT Trainer, Instructor & Curriculum Developer based in Costa Rica
Active NCTE Costa Rica Member
Resource Teacher & Curricular Developer at CCCN
Senior ELT Instructor at Universidad Latina, Costa Rica, since 1998
Contact Information:
Twitter @jonacuso
Email: jonacuso@gmail.com



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Article published on Tuesday, May 6, 2014

How to quote this blog entry:

Acua, J. (2014, May 6). Feedback, VLEs, Rubrics, and Netiquette. Retrieved from
Reflective Online Teaching Website: http://reflective-online-
teaching.blogspot.com/2014/05/feedback-vles-rubrics-and-netiquette.html