Alan Cann is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Leicester. After publishing nearly 100 peer-reviewed papers on virology, for the last two decades his research has centred on learning technologies, assessment and feedback. He is currently the Digital Learning and the Metrics Lead for the School of Biological Sciences at Leicester.
Student satisfaction with feedback on assessed work remains at a low ebb compared with other National Student Survey indicators. Over the last few years a substantial change in marking practices has occurred with almost all student work now being submitted electronically via Turnitin GradeMark. While GradeMark is generally popular with students, we have very little knowledge of how academic staff are actually using GradeMark to deliver feedback and how this compares with best practices established in the research literature. We have carried out an audit of feedback practices on GradeMark and I will discuss how enhancements such as rubrics and staff training could be used to influence academic practice and thereby increase student engagement with electronic feedback delivered via GradeMark.