The Effectiveness of Teacher Electronic Feedback in Asynchronous Teaching: A Case Study of Foundation Students at Sultan Qaboos University

Abstract

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, educational systems worldwide, including Oman, were affected as this led to temporary closures of schools, colleges, and universities. In response to such closures, many countries decided to continue offering education through distance learning. Similarly, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), the only government university in Oman, opted for asynchronous teaching through Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). Through ERT, there is a temporary shift in instructional delivery. Its primary aim is to provide temporary access to instruction and support materials quickly and reliably during the crisis. Asynchronous teaching provides students with flexibility to access the materials posted by teachers whenever they can, leaving teachers with many challenges. One of these challenges is the ability to offer proper feedback to students. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the perceptions of both teachers and students on the electronic feedback provided in ERT. A total of 8 teachers 80 students enrolled in the foundation program at SQU participated in the study. The responses of both teachers and students were collected through online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicate that some feedback methods seemed to be more effective. The study also identified the challenges faced by both students and teachers in terms of electronic feedback. Furthermore, the study gives suggestions to improve electronic feedback methods.