Leading the Way in Teaching & Learning | How Rockingham Unlocked Student Engagement

Challenges Before FeedbackFruits

RCC faced several challenges during the transition to online learning, particularly in keeping students engaged and ensuring learning activities were both active and scalable. Streamlining these activities was difficult, as implementing engaging pedagogies typically required significant effort from faculty. Furthermore, any tool that was clunky or time-consuming added to the already heavy workload of instructors. For students, a seamless and easy-to-use interface was crucial, as anything that increased their cognitive load could negatively impact engagement and success.

Why FeedbackFruits?

RCC needed a solution that could support faculty in creating engaging, active learning experiences without adding to their workload or disrupting the student experience. FeedbackFruits provided the answer by offering a fully integrated tool that seamlessly worked within their LMS (Moodle). With FeedbackFruits’ Interactive Video tool, faculty could easily create engaging activities without leaving the LMS, reducing the complexity and effort typically required for such tasks. The tool’s intuitive design, templates, and sample instructions made it easy for even less tech-savvy instructors to get started quickly, while ensuring that students had a smooth and straightforward experience. This approach not only saved time but also helped increase engagement and participation across courses.

Implementation & Results

By Spring 2023, RCC launched a pilot program with three faculty members using the Interactive Video tool in various courses to test its impact on engagement and usability. The pilot was a resounding success, leading the Center for Teaching & Learning to initiate a college-wide rollout. By Fall 2023, approximately 16 instructors (30% of RCC faculty) had integrated FeedbackFruits into 40 courses, reaching over 600 students. These courses spanned a variety of disciplines, including nursing, respiratory therapy, business, communication, calculus, and biology. The use of Interactive Video provided a dynamic, pedagogically-driven alternative to traditional discussion forums.‍

Interactive Video engages students through in-video questions and discussions, enabling faculty to create scaffolded, lower-stakes activities that guide students toward mastery of content. Instructors could also provide timely feedback, supporting students throughout their learning journey. The ease of use and seamless integration with the LMS made it possible for faculty to scale these activities without adding extra workload, while also giving students an intuitive and interactive learning experience.

Impact & Long-term Vision

Since adopting FeedbackFruits, RCC has seen notable improvements in student engagement, particularly in online and hybrid courses. Faculty have begun building video repositories, using them not only for instruction but also for remediation and student support. The intuitive design and pre-built templates have saved instructors significant time, allowing them to focus more on student interaction rather than technical setups.

Although RCC is still gathering long-term data, early feedback shows higher levels of student participation, interaction, and overall enjoyment, leading to a more enriched learning experience. The long-term vision of the Rockingham-FeedbackFruits partnership is to leverage the full strength of the platform by expanding its use of pedagogical solutions across Feedback & Assessment and Collaboration & Engagement. By doing so, RCC aims to further enhance teaching practices, increase student success, and continue fostering active, engaging learning environments across all course modalities.

“It is a truly seamless instructional tool.” – Gabe Rumley-Smith, Director of CTL

Superb Support & Collaboration

One of the key factors in the success of Rockingham’s implementation of FeedbackFruits was the exceptional support provided by the FeedbackFruits team. Regular meetings with Laura from FeedbackFruits were instrumental in offering fresh ideas and strategies to increase faculty buy-in and usage. Her insights helped the CTL team navigate challenges and ensure that faculty felt confident and supported in using the Interactive Video tool. This ongoing collaboration not only saved time but also contributed significantly to the smooth adoption of the tool, making it easier for instructors to integrate engaging activities into their courses while ensuring students had a seamless experience.

Conclusion

Rockingham Community College’s experience with FeedbackFruits’ Interactive Video tool illustrates the transformative power of an integrated, user-friendly platform. By focusing on student-centered pedagogy and leveraging the seamless support from FeedbackFruits, RCC has successfully created engaging and effective learning environments that benefit both faculty and students. The partnership between RCC and FeedbackFruits is not only helping the college achieve its current goals but is also paving the way for continued innovation in teaching and learning. With a long-term vision to fully utilize FeedbackFruits' suite of pedagogical tools for Feedback & Assessment and Collaboration & Engagement, RCC is positioning itself as a leader in modern, active learning practices that support the success of both educators and learners.