Using eportfolios to encourage responsible feedback

Abstract

Educators should consider responsible feedback as one of their main priorities when designing their learning and teaching strategies. It is well known that feedback is the bridge between students’ and instructors, as students’ work and efforts are reviewed and put into an appropriate learning context. Quality feedback acts as a main motivator to students because they are able to identify specific areas that require improvement and their specific attention. Feedback should offer appropriate coaching and guidance to students. It should help them to understand how they should progress to align their work with best practices identified in their course curriculums. We need to remember that students are avid learners and that they need tutoring, mentoring, objective and clear guidelines that aim at keeping them focused and motivated on their education. Additionally, we need to reflect on the role of educators in this process. Educators should be capable of elaborating responsible feedback that communicates course goals to their students in an efficient and constructive manner. We argue that electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) help instructors in the development of quality and responsible feedback. In addition, ePortfolios also encourage students to take ownership of their learning through a student-centred-approach.