Feedback - Moving the Learning Forward

As you read in my earlier post one of the most important components of Assessment for Learning includes strategies teachers and students should use to move the learning forward. Once we have made the learning targets clear and students are aware of what quality work looks like and what their goal is, we must provide activities that afford students an opportunity to learn in a manner that can produce visible evidence of mastery. This is new territory for some, and this particular blog post is not dedicated to classroom instructional strategies (coming soon) but rather what to do once the learning has begun. I cannot overstate the importance of three things: effective feedback, self- and peer-assessment, and goal setting by the students.
 
Let's start with feedback. There is a big difference between feedback and making observations or critiques. Consider the difference that two friends recently shared with me. Both had a problem with using a confident voice in front of colleagues and/or students. One of my friends received this "feedback" from her boss…"I don't know why your voice was so shaky and high pitched in that meeting. You sounded scared (shaking his head with bewilderment)." Contrast that with the feedback another friend received, "Ms. Jones, the instructions you gave were important and you said all the right things. However, the students couldn't really hear what you were saying. Try lowering your voice and projecting with confidence. If you want to hear someone who does a good job at this, go next door and listen to Ms. Rameriz - she's got it down." There's a big difference here - one is helpful and has the potential to promote growth and one is simply an insult with no suggestions for improvement.
 
The same can be said for written feedback. Feedback that only points out problems without providing something positive, and suggestions for improvement is simply criticism. It has no potential to help students grow. In fact, it is likely to discourage them from trying.
 
Many, many research studies have produced clear and convincing evidence that feedback is vitally important and, if done right, has the potential to significantly improve achievement. And conversely, if done wrong or neglected all together has the potential to actually harm or be detrimental to the learning. In his book, Embedded Formative Assessment, Dylan Wiliam provides a succinct summary of the research and practical strategies for providing quality feedback. I highly recommend that you invest in this book and take it to heart.
 
Here's the part that's really hard to swallow. According to the research, just assigning a grade to a student's work does nothing to improve learning. Students are either happy or sad (or have no feeling at all) with their grade, then they set it aside and move on. When teachers put feedback or comments on a paper along with the grade, the effect is virtually the same - there is no positive effect. However, if students receive comments only, or success/intervention feedback that has three components 1) positive praise, 2) area that needs work, and 3) how to accomplish or improve, the learning improves significantly and expeditiously.
 
Oh my. How do we accomplish that in a way that is practical and manageable? To do this, feedback must be provided early on, where there is time to make corrections and should be within the range of what students can act on.  Ideally, it should also give students a chance to self-assess as they partner with the teacher in the learning process.  Here are three practical ways to provide effective feedback:

1. When students turn in their work, if they've shown mastery or met the learning criteria, return the paper with their grade (100). If they haven't mastered the learning goal, return their paper marked with a "P" for "pending" and include success/intervention feedback written directly on their paper. It should include what they did well, what they need to work on, and how to get there. Then tell them their grade is pending until they make the necessary corrections. Assign a new due date. (I go ahead and pencil in a grade in the grade-book in case the student doesn't redo their work - but I haven't needed it as of yet). This process isn't ideal and it requires keeping up with lots of papers with varying due dates, but at least it focuses on mastery and gives the students a chance to improve.
2. Have students complete this Feedback Form and staple it to their work when they turn it in.  They will have the opportunity to think about what their strengths are, as well as what they need to work on, and consider what resources they need. This helps empower students in their own learning and gives them some ownership as they partner with you in the process. Then as you assess for mastery complete the right column of the form - providing effective success/intervention feedback. Return it to the student and assign a new due date, giving students the opportunity to improve in areas that need work. If possible, give them time in class, rather than as homework, to make the improvements.
3. Use technology to your advantage to eliminate chasing papers. A popular and easy App to use is Showbie - Paperless Classroom. It can be used with iPads, iPhones, or any computer or device that has an internet connection. I'm sure there are other apps like it, but this one is so easy to use. With this app, students can electronically turn in work and you can provide feedback using digital ink, text and voice annotations right on their paper. "Papers" can go back and forth until they get it right. As part of your assignment, have students include an annotation to their work describing what they think they've done well, what needs work, and what resources they need. (Special thanks to math teacher Nikki Tekell, Frenship MS for helping me with technology and suggesting the Showbie App!)

 
There are many other ways to provide effective feedback but this is a start. Give it a try and see for yourself if the learning improves. As you try this in your classroom, share with us strategies that you use to make it manageable!  In my next blog, I'll address the power of self- and peer-assessment and goal setting and provide concrete ways of making it happen in your classroom. A post you won't want to miss…

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