THE LANDSCAPE OF LEARNING AND FORMATIVE FEEDBACK: CHOOSING THE ‘RIGHT’ E-LEARNING TOOL FOR TEACHING PRACTICE IN IRISH HIGHER EDUCATION

This paper critically examines the use of Technology Enhanced Learning tools (Heeter, 2000) in supporting formative feedback in higher education. The paper looks at barriers to this essential feedback from three perspectives – that of the changing population in higher education in Ireland, the role of time management in delivering feedback, and the role of technology in supporting formative assessment. The discussion clearly identifies open source LTA (Low-Threshold Application) tools (Gilbert, 2002) that can aid lecturers in delivering formative feedback, and evaluates audio (Rotheram, 2009) as well a video feedback. The works of Sadler (1998), Yorke & Longden (2004), Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick (2006), Atherton (2010), Gibbs (2006). and Donnelly & Fitzmaurice (2005) are drawn upon to enhance the argument for formative assessment in a landscape of diminishing resources and increasing demands in higher education.