Loop Blog

As teachers, we play many roles in our students’ lives. We shape social and emotional development, support wellbeing, all whilst delivering academic progress.

So how do you keep track of changes over time, pick up issues quickly, and encourage students to reflect on their work and behaviour?

There’s a powerful weapon in the teacher's arsenal, and it uses something you have access to every day. Student feedback.

Student feedback done the right way is focused, asked in the moment, and concerned with uncovering how you can better support your students. In fact, it likely encompasses a range of activities you’re probably already doing.

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Better teacher-student relations promote student academic performance.

Research has demonstrated that developing positive relationships between a teacher and student is a fundamental aspect of quality teaching and student learning. Positive teacher-student relationships promote a sense of belonging and encourage students to participate cooperatively.

Education has changed significantly this year. The necessity of EdTech has rapidly accelerated, but great EdTech tools never replace great teaching, simply enhance it. With the challenges of blended and remote learning, teachers are leaning on a range of technologies to support student learning. 

If you’ve logged into Loop recently you might have seen the new template questions, including 15 questions exclusive to teachers on Loop Plus.

Questions now cover topics including student wellbeing, classroom climate, and relationship building.

To celebrate the launch of these new questions (and Loop Plus) we wanted to share the 5 most popularfalse

Exit tickets are a well-known tool for gauging comprehension, or as a strategy for formative assessment. Traditionally done at the end of class, on a slip of paper, teachers gather one or two answers from students to see who grasped a concept, and to flag any difficulties students may be having. 

I am proud of maintaining my enthusiasm to teach and inspire students even after 25 years of teaching. In fact, I am comfortable writing that I am enthusiastic to promote a love for learning more than ever. 

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Student wellbeing is front of mind for any teacher.

With schools around the world facing uncertainty and changing learning environments, it can be hard to know how to best support students. 

Despite this, teachers must continue to create learning environments that promote student wellbeing, safety and positive relationships sofalse

Teachers, students and education leaders are grappling with the most significant changes of the last 100 years. The adjustment in the education landscape in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been swift, a pace of change not seen before.

Student satisfaction is critical to the success of Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions.

Satisfied students are more engaged in their learning, more likely to reach their full potential, and more likely to continue with further study at the same institution.

Indeed, the importance of student satisfaction is best highlighted by thefalse

Are you tapping into one of the best predictors of teacher effectiveness? 

It’s something many teachers ignore or even fear despite facing it every day in their classrooms.

Let’s turn the spotlight on your students - it’s their feedback which is essential for your continuing professional development (CPD). 

Collecting student feedback shouldn't be difficult. That's why we've added some new features that make it even easier to collect and review feedback from your students. 

How do you know if students have understood your lesson? 

Exit tickets are an easy way to find out. Here we cover some of our favourite questions and introduce digital exit tickets.

Collecting student feedback shouldn't be hard. That's why we've made it easier than ever to add your students to your group. If you're already using Google Classroom to manage learning material, you can import your students directly into Loop. What's more, it takes less than a minute to do!

Remembering your password can be a nightmare at the best of times. So we've made it even easier to get started with Loop by letting teachers and students sign in using their Google account. Either use your school based accounts associated with Google Classroom or login using your prefered Google Account.

Keeping teaching material in multiple locations can be a pain. We've made it easier by letting you connect your Loop account with Google Classroom, so questions are instantly shared with student in one place. No more emailing links around.

There’s one challenge every school leader can relate to. How to keep students engaged and learning to the best of their ability?

With many schools adapting to remote learning, keeping students connected and engaged with teachers, classes, and school culture is more important than ever.

The transition from in-class to remote and blended learning environments has put pressure on students and teachers alike. Anonymised Loop data shows that both teachers and students have reported higher stress levels across the initial stages of remote learning. 

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