Using the evidence you identified and paraphrased in Week 3

Main Idea paraphrased

Based on the findings, giving precise, proximal, detailed, constructive, and individualized feedback to postsecondary online students helps them understand the deductions reviewed by their instructor during the learning process and subsequently motivates them to improve their writing skills.

Evidence

According to a survey to find out which kind of instructor feedback postsecondary online students preferred, 37 out of 93 said they preferred it when their instructors gave them explicitly, thorough comments. One of them, for instance, expresses disapproval of specific comments like “good job” or “it needs work” (Gredler, 2018, p.198). The participant explained how such essential feedback fell short of offering meaningful details that would have helped them comprehend where they made a mistake and what they could change to enhance their writing. Others made the argument that obtaining specific feedback with a close-up comment showing the area where they made a mistake makes it easier for them to identify the issue and subsequently improves their reading and writing skills.

Other data revealed that most students valued constructive comments that would inspire them to develop their writing abilities (Gredler, 2018). Of all the participants, 28 stated they view helpful advice as a way to recognize their areas of strength and to be inspired by their instructor to develop their writing abilities. One participant commented that most teachers frequently complain, scold, or make “value-loaded bias comments” that demoralize rather than inspire them (Gredler, 2018, p.198). Therefore, they believe it would be best if their instructors demonstrated their concern for them and used motivating language to encourage students to develop their writing abilities.

The Challenge That I Encountered During the Paraphrasing Process

One of the difficulties I encountered while interpreting the data was how to accurately portray the participant’s ideas without distorting their meaning. According to Hyytinen et al. (2016), expressing authors’ ideas clearly without changing their content’s meaning is a challenge most students face. To avoid plagiarism, I find it difficult to describe the students’ preferences without using phrases like “detailed” and “clear.” Without altering the content of the student’s thoughts, it can be difficult to resist using such language, which limits my ability to explain their opinions in my own words.

Abby

References

Gredler, J. (2018). Postsecondary Online Students’ Preferences for Text-Based Instructor Feedback. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 30(2), 195-206. Retrieved 14 September 2022, from http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/.

Hyytinen, H., Löfström, E., & Lindblom-Ylänne, S. (2016). Challenges in Argumentation and Paraphrasing Among Beginning Students in Educational Sciences. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 61(4), 411-429. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2016.1147072

Question to answer

• Using the evidence you identified and paraphrased in Week 3, analyze that evidence in the context of the argument you are making.
• Additionally, reflect on the process of analyzing the evidence. Pose any questions and/or explain challenges that came up during the process.