Providing effective feedback is an admirable goal, but it can be difficult to achieve in the crunch of busy schedules and endless to-do lists. The SpeedGrader tool in Canvas offers a comprehensive method for providing feedback comments to students. In addition to SpeedGrader’s capability of providing overall written feedback and annotations, similar to “Track Changes” in MS Word, instructors can also share feedback using media recordings.
In SpeedGrader, the sidebar offers a place for an overall score and typed comments. Additional buttons enable instructors to add attachments and use Google’s Voice Recognition feature to create comments. The middle button creates a Media Comment, enabling an instructor to record a video or audio comment as well.
Several instructors who have experimented with this feature indicate they found the capabilities it offered useful. Some felt it enabled them to reinforce the language and terms they used in class when addressing a problem in a student’s work. For others, it enabled them to share their response to the work in more engaging and personal terms, providing an easy way to connect with students. Finally, several instructors found Media Comments to be a faster option than other ways of providing feedback. For more information about the Canvas Speedgrader and Media Comments, visit the Canvas Guides:
