Student perceptions of audio feedback in a design-based module for distance education

Abstract

Within higher education, student perceptions are beneficial in evaluating the nature and quality of educational interventions. One such intervention involves the use of academic audio feedback on the submitted assignments of distance learning students. This type of feedback may well enhance the educational experience of the students, irrelevant of how it is produced. The purpose of this article is to highlight the perceptions of students regarding audio feedback, which was provided in a design-based module offered at an open distance learning institute in South Africa. For this research, a case study was used were quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 30 students enrolled for a module termed, Design Project III, during 2017. A few key advantages that were highlighted include a good learning experience, better time utilisation, informative and better communication. A key disadvantage relates to a lack of on-campus WiFi connectivity or availability. However, it is recommended that this intervention (providing audio feedback to students) be adopted by more academics at open distance learning institutions as they strive to improve student engagement with the study leader and with the course content.