assignments: how the notification system works

[Luca-P]

I'm puzzled about how assignments work and I'm wondering if I'm using them correctly or not.

My goal is to encourage my students to do some pratical exercise after some of my lessons. I'm trying to create an active dialogue with them by giving them real, personalised feedback based on what they send me with the assignments. I do this because, I think, this would help me to receive better reviews. 

But unfortunately what I discovered is this: when I submit a feedback on a student assignment, they receive only a notification on their dashboard, no email at all. In more then 100 feedbacks I sent among 3 of my courses, no student ever answered to any of my feedbacks. So what's happening is that 1) My feedbacks are so bad that, among 100 students among 3 different courses, nobody cares about my feedbacks or 2) I firmly believe that most of them don't even know I answered, since they didn't got any email.

So my question to all the other teachers is: do you try to establish an active conversation with your students? If yes, how? If you use assignments, are you satisfied with the result? If yes, how you did it? If not, what tool are you using?

Thanks,

Luca 

[SAPBuddy]

We reply all the queries thorough Q&A and messages. You are right, if you contact students proactively there’s very minimal response. 

[SharonRamel]

Hi @Luca-P  - students do care about the feedback they receive. Mine certainly do. However, the ability to communicate using the assignments feature simply isn't there.

The answer to the questions posed by you is also within the assignment. My feedback is mostly encouragement so they know I am there for them. And naturally, help is they are not 'getting it'. My student tribe highly value it and they often comment on it within their course reviews. 

For active conversations (and even that is limited Q&A is better as @SAPBuddy suggested.

[Luca-P]

Thanks Sharon!