M09a5 - Give Feedback Using Word or a PDF reader

Moodle Assignments enable staff to mark offline using Word or a PDF reader and then bulk upload the 'response files' back to students.

Alongside this feature, you can also enter grades and general feedback offline using the Excel spreadsheet that can be downloaded from the Moodle Assignment. This too can be bulk uploaded so that feedback and grades are automatically sent back to students.

Here is an overview of how to use Word and PDF readers to mark student work offline - ideal for those with a long commute.

Use Word to give feedback

Word has the ability to add in text comments and can track changes to text you make on a student's work. You can also add general feedback either within a section allocated to this on the cover sheet, however it is better to provide this within the general feedback section of Moodle itself, since it is more accessible here and will be displayed in the student's My Feedback report.

Here is a quick overview of how you can add in-text feedback to work submitted in Word:

• Track changes - Review tab > Track changes > Track changes - All changes will appear in a different colour and deleted text will appear crossed out.
• Add comments - Select the text you want to comment on - Review tab > New Comment.
• Comment bank - Copy up to 24 items into the Clipboard - Home tab > Clipboard (expand the clipboard area to see multiple clips, then click on them and paste them into comments. Unfortunately you'll have to do this at the start of each marking session - you can't save the comment bank (Clipboard area).  

Use PDF Readers to give feedback

Although not as sophisticated as Word, PDF readers allow you to add inline comments and audio feedback to a document. 

You can then distribute the response files back to students via Moodle Assignments (Advanced uploading of files) along with marks and feedback.