student-engagement

Anonymous feedback tool aims to enhance faculty communication


New version of Bluepulse offers faculty an anonymous, private, two-way communication platform

student-engagementeXplorance, a Learning Experience Management solution provider, has announce the availability of Bluepulse version 1.5. The new formative assessment software is geared to boost teaching effectiveness and student engagement.

Using social feedback, the new two-way communication platform is designed to offer faculty judgment-free, anonymous feedback conducive to self-improvement and continuous learning enhancement based on students’ articulated needs, said the company.

While colleges and universities are attempting to adapt to the new generation of students by increasing the portion of online and blended courses, they face higher student disengagement rates. Though ample resources are invested in addressing student engagement, eXplorance says the solution resides in a better learning experience based on enhanced communication between faculty and students.

(Next page: How candid feedback impacts students)

According to eXplorance, formative assessment is a key communication tool which provides learners opportunities to adjust or clarify their thinking prior to a summative assessment, as illustrated in the Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) framework. JiTT relies on creating feedback loops between classroom activities and coursework. Students answer brief questions before class, so instructors can adapt their curriculum based on the learning gaps revealed in the JiTT responses. Research has shown, notes the company, that the JiTT framework significantly contributes to increasing in-class teaching effectiveness, leading to better student learning outcomes.

Bluepulse version 1.5 was designed to assist faculties in implementing the JiTT framework with their students. Through two-way electronic communication with their students, teachers can collect real-time feedback on specific topics mentioned in the summative review. Instructors are able to leverage the analytics to enhance teaching efficiency.

All student information and communications are kept confidential, says the company.

eXplorance believes this technology will help provide a safe environment for candid feedback and give even the shyest of students an equal voice. Without knowing their identity, teachers can assess students’ understanding of specific course topics on an individual basis and then create learning sub-groups based on responses to foster peer learning, or open one-on-one discussions (patent pending) to ensure no student lags behind.

The platform’s enhancements also aim to help instructors improve their teaching effectiveness while encouraging active learning for enhanced student engagement.

“We have been using Bluepulse as a self-controlled formative assessment tool. The tool gives faculty the chance to receive valuable feedback on how to improve the teaching process in real-time, at their own discretion,” says Michael Evans, associate dean of Digital Learning at Sheridan College.

“Bluepulse 1.5 is a testimony to eXplorance’s dedication to accommodating their solution to feedback from clients. We are looking forward to implementing the two-way communication between instructors and students for better learning results.”

By providing direct communication channels and in-depth analytics, Bluepulse 1.5 says it enables instructors to implement a cycle of continuous improvement within the classroom.

Material from a press release was used in this report.

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