I gave up asking students to respond to each other's discussion posts. Now I ask them to quote & reference each other's responses in their projects/papers or summarize 4-5 student responses for the annotated bib. Students use each other's writing as a resource for the course. Having students reference & quote each other in their assignments & papers has been the best way to get students to engage each other's writing. And students write differently, as we know, when they know their writing will get used.

There should be classes on giving feedback on writing. It's really hard to do well. Making feedback that allows someone to continue learning, build confidence, & stay motivated at the right time is very hard to do & takes practice. Feedback can't just be a reaction to learning. Feedback is part of a system connected to the discipline, pedagogy, outcomes, students, & assignments. Certain pedagogies, outcomes, & assignments set up formative feedback. To address feedback quality, I have to reevaluate my feedback system & revise it accordingly.

Students: "What's a works cited or reference page? Why do they matter?"

Me: "It's the place where we get to see all the intertextual pieces of other texts an author used to build a new text. It is textual DNA." Students: "You mean referencing & citing is not just a cruel & unusual method for evaluating my writing?"

Me: "It's actual a way for scholars & researchers across the world to share information w each other because they can't meet & discuss their ideas & research regularly."