Helen Todd is a Learning Technologist within the Educational Enhancement team and works to develop and support the Online Distance Learning courses at the University of Sussex.

What I did

I first came across Buddycheck through a colleague, and I could immediately see how useful it would be for our Online Distance Learning (ODL) modules that involved group assessments. Many of our students collaborate across different time zones and continents and they never meet their peers in person. That makes group work particularly challenging, so I wanted to find a way to give them more structured support.

We piloted Buddycheck on one module, where students complete two evaluations: one halfway through the group work, and another after submission. The idea was to give students the chance to reflect on their group experience, flag any issues, and request support if needed. After a successful pilot, we rolled it out across all ODL modules with group assessments.

Why I did it

The motivation came from recurring challenges with group work. In the past, we often didn’t hear about problems until after submission, which made it difficult to intervene or support students effectively. Sometimes it would come down to one person’s word against another’s, which isn’t a fair or reliable way to evaluate contribution.

By using Buddycheck, I wanted to make group dynamics more transparent and give students a structured way to express concerns, or celebrate success, before it was too late. It also allowed us to signpost students to their Student Success Advisor, who could provide personalised support if they were struggling to connect with their team.

How it works

Buddycheck is embedded into the module workflow but is not an assessed element. Students complete a short evaluation midway through their group work, which helps us identify any problems while there’s still time to address them. The final evaluation, after submission, is more reflective and allows for both scaled responses and extended written feedback.

Tutors and Student Success Advisors can access the evaluations. Advisors in particular play a key role in monitoring responses and reaching out to students who flag difficulties. Tutors, meanwhile, can use the evaluations as supporting evidence if issues arise in group assessments. The system is easy to set up at module launch, and I provided training to both academic staff and the Student Success team to ensure everyone understood their responsibilities.

Impact and student experience

The introduction of Buddycheck has reduced the number of last-minute complaints about group work, which suggests students feel more supported and staff are better equipped to monitor progress. Advisors appreciate having clear evidence when students raise concerns, and tutors can use the evaluations to check whether groups are working effectively.

Interestingly, while we designed the final open-ended question as a way for students to raise problems, many have instead used it to share positive feedback. Here are just two examples:

“Our group worked together collaboratively with a collegiate approach. Considering we did not know each other, come from different countries/cultures, I think we managed the task really positively and submitted ahead of the deadline.”

Online Distance Learning student

“My team was the best I worked with during my time at Sussex. We established a reading club to continue our collaboration, as we had strong interaction and teamwork.”

Online Distance Learning student

Feedback like this has been a welcome reminder that group work, while often challenging, can also provide a real sense of community and collaboration for ODL students, some of whom may otherwise feel isolated.

Future practice

Looking ahead, we’re building on this work as part of a wider project to improve guidance and support for group work. I’m collaborating with colleagues from the Business School and our partner, Boundless Learning, to develop clearer resources and a student guide to group work. These will sit alongside Buddycheck to help students understand expectations and navigate common challenges. I don’t plan to make major changes to the Buddycheck setup itself, though I have already streamlined the mid-point evaluation to encourage higher completion rates.

Top tips

1. Communicate early and clearly – Make sure all stakeholders (tutors, advisors, administrators) know what Buddycheck is, how it works, and who is responsible for monitoring it. Running demos and sharing training materials really helps.
2. Keep the student experience front of mind – New tools should enhance, not complicate, learning. ODL students already juggle multiple technologies, so ensure Buddycheck is easy to complete and doesn’t add unnecessary workload.
3. Learn from others – Before rolling out Buddycheck, I spoke to colleagues who had used it on campus, researched what other universities were doing, and even consulted one of the tool’s developers. That mix of perspectives gave me confidence in how to adapt it for ODL.