Loop Insights

Early Career Teachers (ECTs) in their first years after university face numerous challenges. The teaching environment is undergoing change at a rapid pace. New teachers have limited experience trying new pedagogical approaches, gauging the impact of delivery and discovering how to fostering a sense of inclusion and support student wellbeing.

Your students have something to say. Their voice can help your school develop stronger teachers, and a greater sense of belonging for students. While your school may understand the value of collecting student responses, it’s often challenging to do it in a cohesive manner that generates insights to those who need it, efficiently. 

Transitioning to a remote learning environment on short notice is not easy. It takes time for teachers and students to adjust to these new ways of learning, and continuous communication is key to optimising these arrangements. We have pulled together a number of strategies to help you support your students in this time of flux, using your Loopfalse

The classroom dynamic is changing. Gone are the days of the teacher standing up the front delivering a lesson to a class of students sitting still. Today you will regularly find interactive classrooms that are a vibrant place of learning and exploration. Within these classrooms there is also now an expectation for students to develop soft skillsfalse

Student surveys, an online form emailed after a course, or piece of paper thrust in front of students at the end of a semester at the second-to-last tutorial or seminar, are dead. They were once the mainstay of gauging student satisfaction in tertiary education as the pressures of end of semester exams or essays loomed. 

When Loop was getting started, I was asked to present to a group of 23 visitors to our office, keen to learn about start-ups and factors that contribute to the success of these organisations. To start, I opted to embark on a little experiment. I simulated a classroom environment as a lighthearted way to introduce the purpose and function of Loop,false

The challenge

With more than 20,000 students and 1,000 teachers, one of Australia’s largest dual-sector tertiary institutions sought to implement a consistent system for teachers to gather feedback from their students.

John Hattie makes an interesting observation about student feedback. Hattie argues that while “feedback is critical to raising achievement," its absence in classrooms remains a problem.

Student feedback is a simple and fast way to learn what’s working in your classroom and what needs tweaking. Creating an effective flow of feedback increases classroom engagement and positive learning outcomes.