Dr. Rob Dean, principal lecturer and programme leader for BA (Hons) Music, had a paper accepted at the HEA’s Annual Conference: Generation TEF: Teaching in the Spotlight’. The paper was entitled, ‘Digital Solutions to Student Feedback in the Performing Arts’ and it was programmed as part of the conference’s Arts and Humanities strand.

The paper identified and explored the innovative ways in which digital technology can be used to enhance the way in which feedback on ‘live’ student performance work, investigating how it is conducted and conveyed. In addition to providing examples of techniques that have been trailed at Lincoln, the paper demonstrated the technical tools employed and detailed the students’ responses to these new forms of feedback. Particular attention was given to the uses of both recorded and live ‘lecturer’s commentary’ in feedback provision.

Approximately 25 delegates attended Rob’s presentation and responded positively to the points and recommendations that he made. As a result, Rob has been consulted by academics to advise on instituting a similar process at another university. Rob also delivered the paper at the LALT showcase ‘Education in a Digital Age’ on 7 November 2017.

Rob intends to develop the project into a staff training session for colleagues who are interested in adopting or adapting the methods that he has demonstrated. As the demand for the technology required to engage with these methods increases and the range of tools available for this purpose grows, the project has the potential to develop into (or merge with) an ongoing research project focused on the effectiveness of feedback provision utilising digital solutions. Rob is planning on writing a journal article on the project for submission in September 2018.

Rob continues to adopt the Video Feedback techniques that he has trailed and explores ways to improve and enhance this provision.