Yellowdig provides you quick, easy, and readily accessible ways to interact with students and provide them feedback. Some of those are automated mechanics like points for Posts, which we recommend you set up. Through those points you also enable mechanics for qualitative feedback, specifically earning points through Reactions from instructors or other learners and through Accolades that you award them. Obviously, Reactions and Accolades given directly by instructors carry with them the additional validation of being from the “authority” on the course material. There is also the ability to mark content as “Not Relevant,” which provides a different kind of feedback—and, of course, instructors can choose to comment on anything they like or easily send personal messages.
Most of these mechanics are automatic and do not burden instructors at all. Others require minimal labor. Moreover, the platform is easily accessible from mobile or the web, so you can provide feedback whenever you have a spare moment and without sitting down to “grade” (e.g., while waiting for a meeting to start or during travel).
Why? Today’s students demand frequent interaction and prompt feedback. Aside from the educational benefits, doing a good job of providing these inputs will positively influence their perception of an instructor and the class. But feedback is usually time-consuming and difficult for instructors to give, especially in large or online classes. Yellowdig facilitates and accelerates giving good feedback, and we recommend that instructors take advantage of the many feedback-oriented features.