Assignment feedback
in new learning environments
Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University
Newcastle University, 27 May 2011
María Fernández-Toro
The Open University
Outline
1.
Assignment feedback in HE learning
2.
New learning environments for assignment
feedback
3.
Evaluating assignment feedback in new learning
environments
The challenges:
Why does it matter?
Feedback is essential: Helps students learn to „monitor,
evaluate and regulate their own learning‟ (Nicol 2010)
National Student Survey results between 2006 and 2009
(HEFCE 2010) show that „Assessment and feedback‟ is
consistently recorded as the area with lowest overall
satisfaction scores. In the 2009 survey this was the case for
32 out of the 41 subject areas surveyed.
Proliferation of new media
new expectations
Cost-cutting climate
efficiency is paramount
What is feedback?
1/2
“information about the gap between the actual level and the reference level of a system parameter which is used to alter the gap in some way” (Ramaprasad, 1983)
Used for bridging the gap between actual and desired performance levels (Hunt, 2001)
“The role of feedback is to provide information about the gap or strength in order to help the learner take appropriate action to close the gap or build on the strength.” (Brown & Glover 2006)
Feed-back / feed-forward (Walker 2009, Chetwynd & Dobbyn 2010)
“while the quality of the comments is important, the quality of the
students‟ interaction with those comments is equally, and perhaps more important”. (Nicol 2010)
What is feedback?
2/2
A process:
Internally relating previous, current, and desired performance
Relating internal feedback with feedback from external sources
Developing a learning dialogue that progresses over time
A product: Good feedback leaves learners with…
A clear idea of what they got right
A clear idea of what they got wrong
A clear idea of what they need to do in order to do better next time
The feeling that such an improvement is achievable
New learning environments
for assignment feedback
Using basic technology to give feedback in the classroom
Paper & voice:
Spoken summary by tutor (with optional notes on board)
Powerpoint presentation:
Discuss most common errors using animation to delay
the display of correct answers
Voting/survey tools
Word processing on electronic whiteboard
Real-time revision of translation assignments
VLE groups
Circulating group-written assignments in advance (composition,
translation, recorded presentations) for discussion in class
Automatic feedback
from a computer
Answer keys in teaching materials
Electronically-marked assignments
Assignment management systems on VLE
Submitting assignments
Returning and recording marks
Returning and recording feedback
Monitoring tutor feedback (staff development)
Other systems:
Asynchonous tutor feedback
using electronic media
Written feedback
Annotations on script (e.g. MS Word markup)
Feedback summary (e.g. standard e-form)
Spoken feedback
Audio file containing individual feedback
(e.g. MP3 file recorded with Audacity)
Audio file containing group feedback (e.g. podcast)
Multimodal feedback
On speaking skills (e.g. IOA project using Learnosity)
Evaluating assignment feedback
in new learning environments
Points to consider
Medium
spoken, written, audiographic, video, etc.
Immediacy
shown (as in annotations on script)/referred to
(as in feedback summary)
Recipient
individual / group
Focus area
One or more criteria (e.g. content, structure,
grammar, pronunciation, vocab., register, etc.)
Orientation
refers to strengths/weaknesses in performance
Depth
indicates/categorises/corrects/exemplifies/explains
Direction
feed-back/feed-forward
Depth of feedback
A notion originally proposed by Brown and Glover 2006
Comment on a weakness Comment on a strength
Depth 1
Indicates a weakness Indicates that an aspect of performance is good
Depth 2
Provides a correction Describes in what way that aspect of performance is good
Depth 3
Provides an explanation, or gives a further exampleExplains why it is good, or gives a specific example from the student‟s performance
Example: Giving feedback on a student’s introduction
Depth 1
Depth 2
Depth 3
Depth 2 with
feed-forward
comment
Example 1:
Feedback on OU writing assignments
Medium Feedback summary (e-form)
Written anotations (Word markup)
Recipient Individual Individual
Immediacy Referred to Shown
Focus area Each of 6 writing criteria
(covering content & language) Mostly language accuracy
Orientation Strengths and weaknesses Mostly weaknesses
Depth Mostly indicated & categorised,
may include generic explanations
Errors indicated, corrected and/or categorised, occasionally explained
Direction Feed-back & feed-forward Mostly feed-back
Example 2:
Feedback on OU speaking assignments
Medium Feedback summary
(e-form)
Audio (MP3 file)
Recipient Individual Individual
Immediacy Referred to Referred to
Focus area Each of 6 writing criteria
(covering content & language)
Especially pronunciation, intonation & fluency
Orientation Strengths and weaknesses May comment on strengths, but
typically focuses on weaknesses
Depth Mostly indicated & categorised,
may include generic explanations
Generally used for correcting specific errors. Explanations are possible.
Direction Feed-back & feed-forward Feed-back & feed-forward
Rapport A bit personal (greetings, name) Very personal
Example 3:
Audiographic feedback with JING
Medium Audio
(MP3 file)
Audio-visual (Jing)
Recipient Individual (but also suitable for
group, e.g. as podcast to a class)
Suitable for individual or group feedback
Immediacy Referred to Shown
Focus area Esp. pronunciation, intonation
& fluency Writing
Orientation May comment on strengths, but
typically focuses on weaknesses
Mostly used for addressing weaknesses ?
Depth Generally used for correcting
specific errors
Errors can be corrected and explained in depth
Direction Feed-back & feed-forward Feed-back & feed-forward
Rapport Very personal
(greetings, name + tutor’s voice)
Very personal
Summary:
Feedback on OU language assignments
Medium Feedback summary (e-form) Written anotations (Word markup) Audio (MP3 file) Audio (podcast) Audiographic (Jing) Recipient Individual Individual Individual Group Indiv./Group Immediacy Referred to Shown Referred to Referred to Shown Focus area Speaking or
writing Writing Speaking (esp.pronunc.) Speaking or writing Writing Rapport Greetings, name No greetings or name Greetings, name + voice Greetings & voice Greetings, name + voice
Conclusion
Be aware of the affordances of each medium
Choose the right medium for the purpose
Combine different media to cover all functions of
feedback and meet the needs of all learners
Address all assessment criteria
Keep monitoring the depth of feedback on problem areas
Give depth 3 feedback (explanations & examples) on strengths
Provide feed-forward comments
Play on the strengths of your chosen medium
Use different media to cover all aspects
of feedback
Ensure that students actively engage
with the feedback
Think „learning‟ rather than „technology‟
(low-tech is fine too!)
What is feedback?
A process:
Internally relating previous, current, and desired performance
Relating internal feedback with feedback from external sources
Developing a learning dialogue that progresses over time
A product: Good feedback leaves learners with…
A clear idea of what they got right
A clear idea of what they got wrong
A clear idea of what they need to do in order to do better next time
The feeling that such an improvement is achievable
For any queries feel free to contact
