Discussion about feedback

[ElizabethECharl]

Sandie – very insightful. I might suggest this method of delivering feedback to our Performing Arts lecturers and see what the take-up is by them and the learners’ response to this.

[GraphDesProject]

James,

Yes, it does seem that way. It seems that learners who already understand that they can develop will act on it. But then the problem remains for us to find way sto encourage the others to respond to it just as well. I have had learners who were a bit “get by” at first but who did begin to respond better to feedback once they had made some (to them) “surprising” good move. Once the “penny dropped” they became the same as your motivated learners. I’ve also had learners who don’t take on board feedback because they are already good but who then don’t push forward and get overtaken by supposedly “weaker” students. So I suppose thinking about what we’ve done on learning styles and how we talked also about the affective zone, I think feedback should trigger there and in developing identity, not just cognitive prompts for skills etc.

Sancha

[Niall Watts]

From personal experience … Feedback is sometimes rather specific and not readily transferrable to the next asssignment. When I was doing well enough by my own standards I just moved on. Time is precious.

“In a timely manner” … would seem to apply that there is some follow-on activity which makes use of it  – .i.e. feed forward to next assignment.

 

 

[Niall Watts]

Once a student asked a colleague if they could  make the changes suggested in the feedback and resubmit for a revised mark.

The answer was no (as you might expect). We discussed this afterwards and both thought that if we are serious about learning (rather than assessment) the answer should be yes

Does anyone accept resubmitted work in this situation?

 

 

[GraphDesProject]

Niall,

 

With our f2f graphics learners we have one large module on graphic design and typography, which some learners have not encountered before. They have several projects across the year and get formative – sometimes peer led – feedback on the work. At the end of they year they can re-work any part that they like, now their type skills are better. They can add extra work in too. Only then does it get a summative grade. Once this has been done they can’t re-submit it though.

 

We also take in a draft of the BA 3rd year dissertation andf I spend a week or two marking them up formatively. They can then re-work these and submit for a grade. They often go up a grade level at this point. But what would be the point of just being graded on what you can do when you enter the year?

We have lots of interim (formative) crits too so that learners can develop their work before being graded.

 

It all depends on how much work you want to put in doing formative assessments. But you couldn’t go on grading and re-grading for ever.

 

Sancha

[JoanneTyssen]

Hi

Some very interesting discussions here.

Leanne, I have used video feedback in some instances, notably practical coaching sessions, interview scenarios and presentations. I feel immediate feedback is often a lot more effective and beneficial to th student than detailed feedback that takes time to produce and get back to the student.

Niall – We use a draft policy, whereby a section of work can be submitted for ‘formative’ assessment and the students can develop from this. However, this relies on the student being proactive in submitting the draft in an appropriate time to allow for feedbacka nd time to action this. More effetively, we use many formative tasks within class, relating to the assessment – almost like asessment planning if you like. This feedback is mainly verbal but can be recorded and anything written on the board, for example, can be photographed by the students and/or put on the VLE.

In addition, feedback from actual assessments MUST include generic feedback as well as task specific feddback, thus students can develop their academic skills and tranfer the feedback recieved more widely.

I always find feedback a very interesting discussion and hold the believe that no matter what method is taken, students need their feedback almost immediately. I feel at times we focus much more on detailed written feedback, within the 2-3 week turn around set by the institiution, by which point – in the students eyes – its too late and not relevant. I also believe that students only really look at the mark and don’t actually read the feedback, whereas if verbal feedback is provided, prior to the grade, they take this on much more. They also ‘believe’ it more if practicals / presentations / etc are recorded so they can see what you are refering to.

They need progressive transferable feedback and don’t forget that those achieveing high marks need developmental feedback as well – they may have a first but it’s unlikely they got 100% so they didn’t achieve marks for a reason

Jo

[Linda Creanor]

I’m enjoying this discussion and all the different examples of feedback approaches. There’s been a big increase in the use of Turnitin and Grademark at my own university (Glasgow Caledonian) and the audio feedback tool is being used successfully by a number of lecturers in different discipline areas.

I’ve also seen Jing (http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html) being used very effectively to provide video feedback – up to 5 minute clips with the free version.

I’m doing an OU Beginner’s Spanish course just now (why did I ever think I’d have time for this!) which includes a mix of audio and written assignments. Detailed tutor feedback is provided in audio format  along with a short written summary of the main points. In a language context this works very well indeed, and from a student perspective, the audio feedback   feels very personal and motivating.

Linda

 

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