THE ABILITY OF SOCIAL NETWORKS TO ENHANCE STUDENT FEEDBACK MECHANISMS

The Ability of Social Networks To Enhance Student Feedback Mechanisms

The Ability of Social Networks To Enhance Student Feedback Mechanisms

Introduction

Feedback is perhaps the most reliable and candid source of the student opinion. This is why universities all over the world adopted the process as a standard line of communication about every aspect of the university life. In this context feedback has been defined by many authorities as the exchange of specific information about the performance and/or behavior of another person. Feedback is recognized as one of the most critical inputs about the administrative and academic processes of any education institution. (Bernard, Goodyear, 2004) With the advent of electronic communications and specifically internet, the speed and thus the importance of student feedback has increased.

The phenomenon of social networking has caught the world by storm. An online social network is defined as a web service that allows users to maintain a profile and come in contact with likeminded individuals and their set of contacts. (Boyd, Ellison 2007)Almost from the beginning, various sectors recognized the importance of the quick and informal interchange that these networks offer. Communities focusing on various businesses and affiliating bodies sprung up, fostering interaction and bring the community closer.

Shortcomings in the Current Student Feedback Mechanisms

At present, there are three methods of collecting student feedback. The traditional paper based forms, email and forum. All three exhibit one of more shortcomings that will be discussed in the coming paragraphs.

The first and the most common shortcoming of the above mentioned three options is the low response rate. Paper based feedbacks fare a little better than email and web based survey. The list of criticism includes the hassle of entering authentication credentials (passwords) and the length of surveys.

The length is another factor that is quoted by many experts. Paper based survey are more prone this. Email and forums usually duplicate the content of the paper based forms. This practice negates the ease offered by electronic mediums of communication.

Email, web based and forum based surveys also suffer from the problem of accessibility. Many students have complained about the additional layer of authentication that these surveys require. This, ultimately, brings down the response rate of the students.

The last and the least prominent of the problems affecting the traditional modes of collecting student feedback are the slow follow-ups. Quick response is always important when it comes to the critical feedback by the students. Paper and email based surveys suffer because of the lack of a mechanism of response by the person taking the feedback.

How Social Network Address These Issues

Social networks are inherently designed to streamline interaction and communication. They are built to foster a sense of community by offering various modes of interaction and contact building. They offer an ideal choice for gathering student feedback. Similarly, they are designed to facilitate communication.

The issue of low response rate is solved by the very make up of the social networking ...