Asynchronous Tutoring Using VoiceThread Feedback (Fall 2021 to Spring 2022): A Mixed Method Study Examining the Efficacy of Integrating Nonverbal Communication in Asynchronous Feedback
The Asynchronous Voicethread Feedback Study was conducted by Drs. Sohui Lee and Abigail
Michelini of the Writing & Multiliteracy Center. This study is now published!
Sohui Lee and Abigail Michelini, “Beyond Convenience: A Mixed-Methods Study of Asynchronous Multimodal Tutoring and
Its Impact on Understanding and Connection.” Writing Center Journal. Vol. 43, no. 1. 2025.
Overview: Online tutoring, both synchronously and asynchronously, has been assumed to be secondary to face-to-face in person tutoring (Denton, 2017; Hewitt, 2010; Weireck, Davis, & Lawson, 2017). Traditional asynchronous tutoring feedback relies on written (text-based) feedback, thus it leaves out nonverbal communication cues such as facial expressions, positive tone, and body language that is typically provided in a live tutorial session. Writing center scholars are learning, however, that nonverbal communications are more important to tutoring than just building connections and helping students feel comfortable. In fact, according to a Harvard study, positive nonverbal cues encourage empathy, trust, and feelings of psychological safety, which are crucial for learning and following through with feedback advice (Seppälä, 2017). We believe our work on multimodal asynchronous tutoring is groundbreaking and significant both to the field of writing centers as well as to the university in providing an innovative new service with the potential to expand and improve tutoring services.