Back in the day of paper assignments, instructors had the freedom to add a bit of an individual touch to their grading, from a smiley face to a gold star sticker. We’ve seen numerous benefits to the learning experience as universities moved to online assessments, but some of the personalization has been lost along the way.

So… we’re bringing a bit of the fun back.

Starting right away, LTIC is turning on a feature in Canvas that allows instructors to add digital stickers to student assignments. “When grading on paper, some educators put a litttle encouraging sticker, star, or even just a happy face before handing the work back – it adds a personal dimension to the feedback, and it conveys more meaning than the grade alone” says Dr. Elisa Baniassad, Academic Director for LTIC.

“Earlier in the use of learning technology, there was a sense that LT had to be serious, and that it would be undermining its importance if it carried any whimsy. But, as more assessments move off paper, the choice to turn off these features meant the option for personalisation of instructor feedback was eroded. What ended up happening was that our configuration choice led to a limitation on instructor expression.”

Realising this, when making decisions about how to deploy learning technology, LTIC will now be prioritising instructor expressiveness, faculty agency, and student experience. It’s a small thing, but it’s the first of many ways LTIC will be empowering faculty with vibrancy and richness in how they use technology for teaching.

“Using this new sticker feature is so fun!” Says Dr. Celeste Leander, Professor of Teaching in the Faculty of Science. “It is easy to use once the feature is turned on. I chose the very first recipient intentionally and told them they were the first student at UBC to receive a digital sticker. Since my course is ungraded, stickers provide an important way for us to acknowledge student work.”