Delivery of online digital feedback and assessment for design and engineering (architectural) students

Abstract

This paper concerns questions about whether blended learning (comprising the designed amalgamation of face-to-face and digital learning components) can be matched with the delivery of online feedback. In the architecture and engineering (architectural) field where there are complex design problems presented to students, design studios with instruction and feedback often one-on-one over the drawing board and feedback personalised to each student's design, are there mechanisms for delivery of online feedback which suit this mode of learning and will improve students' satisfaction with the quantity, frequency, timeliness and quality of feedback? National Course Evaluation Questionnaire data highlights the need for improvement in feedback quality and delivery in University architecture and engineering fields, due to low overall satisfaction compared with other professional education fields. University and School student evaluation supported this feedback deficit. This paper looks at courses where modes of meaningful digital feedback (including audio feedback and online staff and peer feedback) have been introduced, and compares students' satisfaction with feedback in these courses over five-year periods. The paper evaluates new ways of providing digital feedback in a resource-constrained University environment and proposes eight recommendations for the delivery of blended feedback and assessment.