M.S. in EducationFaculty Development Workshop

Feedback “The most powerful single modification that enhances

achievement”

John Hattie

If you were a student, which feedback would you prefer?

1. Angie, your story about your student Brent reminds me of a particularly challenging student I had my first year of teaching. I wonder about him yet today. Stay with Brent; you’re handling a difficult situation well.

2. Full credit. Good job!

What tone of voice do you hear?

1. Needs revision. Too brief. Not enough information.

2. Make the time and effort to provide more specific information. Remember, this is a graduate level course.

3. Is it possible you overlooked parts 2 & 3, or were hurried? Seems incomplete.

Helpful Information?

1. This is a good start, Peggy. What if you had also included a discussion of Strickland’s instructional groupings strategy? Next time, plan to write a reflection that demonstrates the full depth and complexity of your learning. You’ll be proud of this! Double check the way to cite a journal article.

2. Problems with APA. See p. 23 in your M.S. in Education Guide. Content fine though underdeveloped.

FEEDBACK

Within this context of a distance learning graduate program for working teachers, what is feedback?

An informative conversation between colleagues directed toward the support of learning.

What is its goal? Its purposes?To connect, to encourage, to guide, to affirm course

objectives, to evaluate, to correct . . .

Essentials of Effective Feedback at a distance

1. Personal

2. Respectful

3. Constructive/Constructivist

PERSONAL – for both you and the student

• Not generic, not “canned.”• Expressing your values, meaningful to you. i.e. This

is an hour from your life as well. The students want a conversation with you.

• From one colleague to another.• Tailored to this particular work of this student.

For example,

“As an art teacher, Anne, you seem to value your students’ contribution to their world.”

“I empathize with your conclusion. I’d be interested to know how you relate it to the No Child Left Behind Act.”

“This application demonstrates more care and effort than before. I enjoyed reading it! Now in your next application, will you include more specific information. Ask yourself, ‘What does my reader need to know about this topic?’”

RESPECTFUL, EMPATHETIC

• You acknowledge your students’ experience.

• You convey that you have a sense of how it will be to receive this feedback.

• You recognize that no matter what the quality of this particular work, the student is an adult, working professional.

• You maintain your patience and professionalism.

For example,

“I know you may be surprised to receive this score, but if you’ll remember, I urged you to use the text and the videos to support your personal ideas. Please review my email of June 3.”

“I hope you’re encouraged by this grade, which reflects your definite improvement over your last application.”

“At this time in the school year, I’m sure you have a number of obligations. However, I find this application to be lacking key elements specified in the Study Guide.”

CONSTRUCTIVE, CONSTRUCTIVIST

• You use the feedback to teach, to enhance their learning.

• You link your feedback to course goals or to assignment objectives.

• You recognize this assignment and this course are part of a larger educational context, reminding students of previous coursework, or directing their thinking toward their lifelong learning.

For example,

• “What a supportive learning environment you offer your children! Do you find that it’s conducive to challenging them as well?”

• “I’d like to urge you to move your future discussions to another level, to tackle some ideas you don’t agree with, to stretch your minds a bit beyond your comfort zone.”

Other examples

• “A good start. Now connect the findings from your data to your action plan. Where is this data leading you? Try to answer the question, ‘What will I do now that the data has told me this?’”

• “Would it be possible to ask a colleague to help you edit your writing? Try reading your writing aloud as though you’ve never seen it before and then rewrite for clarity.”

Even more examples

• “If you had spent more time on this reflection, would you have added more student scenarios to this narrative?”

• “Perhaps this student is a bodily-kinesthetic learner whom you could involve in a theatrical performance?”

A Variety of Possibilities

• Active feedback (Student initiates) / Passive (Student receives)

• Formative feedback (along the way, to improve) / Summative (in conclusion, to close)

• Individual / Group• Offered by Peer / Self / Instructor• Via Email / Phone / On work itself / Mailed letter• Unintentional (unbeknownst to us . . .) / Informal (an

off-handed comment) / Formal (a designated piece)

Forms of Feedback

•Discussion•Model Answers• Rubric (Criterion referenced)•List of Common Mistakes•List of Writing Strengths

•Continuous Assessment to track progress (i.e. formative)•Specific, individualized comments on one work•Bravo Insights!

So, you might . . .

• Suggest that each student solicit informal, oral feedback from one Study Group member on one course assignment. Or,

• After reading all the Reflections from one Study Group, share your list of Bravo Insights with the entire group via email. Or,

• First email to arrange a convenient time and then call a student to discuss his writing when both of you have his paper before you. Or,

• Write a formal summative feedback for each individual student on his or her growth during this one course. Or, . . .

Walden Students on Feedback

• “This faculty member provided actual feedback and not just points. However, I would like to see not just positive feedback but also places that [sic] I could improve my lesson.”

• “I feel that they are the experts and we are learning; therefore, they should be giving input.”

Student Remarks

• “Her positive and individual comments after each assignment were extremely rewarding and motivational. Never, in my four years of undergraduate study, did I have a professor who even cared in the way that X has demonstrated.”

• “When I revised my paper using her words, she sent them back to me with the comment ‘superb.’ However, I no longer felt proud of my work because it was not my work; it was her work.”

Student Remarks

• “The feedback did not help me evaluate my work. She simply restated the directions [from the exemplars] and put a ‘You effectively . . .’ in front of them. I felt very isolated in this class, but this professor made no attempt to encourage me and make me feel at ease about whether I was or was not on the right track. This course could have been very valuable if I hadn’t felt so uncertain.”

Student Remarks

• “She made me feel as if she was actually there. She had higher expectations and I learned more. I had more feedback /contact with her in this one course than all four previous courses combined. Her method of teaching made a huge difference in my interest level and desire to learn!”

And finally,

“It was an honor to have X as my instructor. Her positive comments made me a better writer. I will have her again next term, so my writing

skills will improve.”