Effective Feedback and E Assessment

School Based Assessment and Reporting Unit Curriculum K-12 Directorate NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008.

All rights reserved. http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/index.htm

Overview

•Effective feedback •Digital possibilities

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

DET Advice

• The new policy reinforces the importance of teacher comments in the written report. Parents have indicated consistently how highly they value written comments by their child’s teacher.

• The comments need to be in plain English and show student strengths and areas for further improvement.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Curriculum Corporation

• If our aim is to improve student performance, not just measure it, we must ensure that students know the performances expected of them, the standards against which they will be judged, and have opportunities to learn from the assessment in future assessments.

Grant Wiggins 2002

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Research Evidence

Prof John Hattie (Uni Auckland):

Meta-analysis of over 50,000 studies • • • • • • •

Major sources of variance in student achievement:

Student: accounts for 50% of variance in student achievement Home: 5-10% School: 5-10% (principals, other leaders an influence) Peer Effects: 5-10% Teachers: 30% “It is what teachers know, do, and care about which is very powerful in this learning equation”.

Reference

: Hattie, J. (2003). ‘Teachers Make a Difference: What is the Research Evidence?’, http://www.leadspace.govt.nz/leadership/articles/teachers-make-a difference.php

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Student Achievement –

Steve Dinham ACER

Influence

Feedback Teacher-student relationships Prior achievement Reciprocal teaching Quality of teaching Classroom behavioural Absence of disruptive students Self-report grades

Effect Size

.72

.72

.73

.74

.77

.80

.86

1.44

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Effect Size Research: Key Points

• • • Steve Dinham ACER

The teacher

and the quality of his or her teaching are major influences on student achievement, along with the individual

student

and his or her prior achievement (all have large effect sizes).

School-based influences

(beyond the classroom) have weaker effects on student achievement.

Structural and organisational arrangements

(open vs traditional classrooms; multi-age vs age graded classes; ability grouping; gender; class size; mainstreaming) have negligible or small effects on student learning. It is the quality of teaching that occurs within these structural arrangements which is important.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

What is feedback?

• Feedback is information about how we have performed in relation to a stated goal • Feedback tells us what did or did not happen: -

You were aware of where other players were positioned and made use of that knowledge when you had to dispose of the ball Curriculum Corporation

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

What is effective feedback?

Effective feedback provides: • Information about what happened or was done • An evaluation of how well or otherwise the action or task was performed • Guidance as to how performance can be improved

Curriculum Corporation

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

An example of effective feedback

You were clearly aware of where other players were positioned because you were consistently looking around you, and you made very good use of that knowledge when you had to dispose of the ball. You made sure that you selected a player who was free of an opponent or in a good position from which she could shoot for goal. Sometimes, though, your disposal was not accurate and the other player missed the ball. At training tomorrow we will do some drills to focus on improving ball disposal.

Curriculum Corporation

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

•

This feedback:

Describes what happened

failed to do so accurately.

– the player had the ball, looked around to see who was in a good position to receive it and then disposed of it, but on occasions •

Provides an evaluation appropriate player

– the player was

clearly

aware, made

very good use

of her knowledge about where players were positioned,

selected an

to pass the ball to, but

disposal was not always accurate.

•

Provides guidance

about how performance could be improved in the future –

drills to focus on improving ball disposal

.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Feedback –

Steve Dinham ACER The four questions of Students: 1. What can I do?

2.

What can’t I do?

3. How does my work compare with that of others?

4. How can I do better?

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Feedback

Steve Dinham ACER “When asked to provide evidence and guidance on enhancing the quality of teaching and student performance, I’m usually equivocal about advocating quick fixes … In the case of feedback, however, I’m prepared to state categorically that if you focus on providing students with improved, quality feedback in individual classrooms, departments and schools you’ll have an almost immediate positive effect. The research evidence is clear: great teachers give great feedback, and every teacher is capable of giving more effective feedback.” (Dinham, Feedback on Feedback, 2008).

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

What Sort of Feedback?

G. Nuthall (2007).

The Hidden Lives of Learners

. Wellington: NZCER.

• 80% of feedback students receive about their work in primary school comes from other students • 80% of this student-student feedback is incorrect.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Some Questions to Ask

Steve Dinham ACER

Begin a professional conversation about feedback by asking eight questions:

1. What are our present approaches – formal and informal – to student feedback? Conduct an audit.

2. Are our assessment methods and criteria clear, valid and reliable? Identify the links between assessment and feedback.

3. Do our students understand what is meant by feedback? 4. Is the feedback our students receive infrequent, unfocused, unhelpful, inconsistent or negative? OR

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Some Questions to Ask

5. Is the feedback we provide focused, comprehensive, consistent and improvement oriented, addressing the four key questions raised above? (especially

How can I do better?)

6. How does the feedback our students receive relate to parental feedback through reports, interviews and parent nights? Is feedback to students and parents consistent?

7. How can we provide our students with improved feedback? 8. How will we know if it works? What evidence will we need?

 The answers to these questions will provide an important foundation for improving the quality of teaching and student achievement in our schools. 

However, feedback is only one part of the equation. It is not a substitute or remedy for poor teaching.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Step 1 INFORMATION about what happened or was done Step 2 An EVALUATION of how well or otherwise the action or task was performed Step 3 GUIDANCE as to how the performance can be improved

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Effective feedback and Technology

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

How can teachers incorporate this in the Digital Education Revolution? Beginning thoughts and questions.

• What is different about assessment with the Digital Education Revolution? What remains the same?

• What are the positives of E Assessment in Teaching and Learning?

• What issues will I face in a school / faculty setting?

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Software applications

• A full list of the software applications available on the student laptops can be accessed at: www.det.nsw.edu.au/deptresources/majorproducts/dernsw/features/software

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Adobe Acrobat Professional

Application Feedback Possibilities

1. Adobe Acrobat Professional allows for the generation of student work either individually or as groups as PDF files Teachers can use the commenting and text editing tools to provide feedback on student work. Other students can also peer assess work and make comments. Collection of PDF files of submitted work can be used by teachers to archive examples of student work to model achievement standards to students in future years.

Further information and training opportunities on Adobe Acrobat Professional applications can be accessed on the TaLE website at: http://www.tale.edu.au/tale/live/teachers/shared/exchan ge/share_school.jsp

and at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatpro/

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Pdf documents can be shared for reviewed and comments made using a variety of editing tools

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Sticky Note Drawing Tools Highlight Text Text Edit

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Stamp Text Box Call out box

Captivate 4 Application Feedback Possibilities

1. The Adobe Creativity Suite allows for the use of Captivate 4. This function allows for the generation of multiple ELearning content including interactivity with work submitted by students.

Captivate 4 allows teachers to comment directly on student work using the keyboard or drawing tool, and film it with a voice commentary as a Flash movie. Further information and training opportunities on the Adobe Creativity Suite and Captivate 4 applications can be accessed on the TaLE website at: http://www.tale.edu.au/tale/live/teachers/shared/ exchange/share_school.jsp

and at: http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Captivate 4

Students can accept or reject suggestions made

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Microsoft Office 2007

Application Feedback Possibilities

1.

Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 – Productivity Suite includes a number of programs including Word, Excel and One Note among others.

Using the ‘Track Changes’ function and /or ‘Add Comment’ teachers can provide feedback and comments on work at different points in the Teaching and Learning cycle. Voice comments can also be added at any point in documents or added to marking sheets or rubrics. Students can subsequently redraft and improve work using the ongoing commentary and suggestions for improvement. Earlier drafts can be saved as a record of student progress toward a finished product. Peer reviews of work can also be used in this respect.

Further information and training opportunities on Microsoft Offfice Enterprise 2007 applications can be accessed on the TaLE website at: http://www.tale.edu.au/tale/live/teachers/shared/exchange/share_ school.jsp

and at: http://office.microsoft.com/en au/suites/FX101674041033.aspx?ofcresset=1

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Microsoft Office 2007

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Creativity Suite 4

Application Feedback Possibilities

1. Photoshop Elements, Premiere Elements and Flash CS4 are part of the Creativity Suite 4. They allow for, among other things, the generation of photos, still images, animations and movies Students can film or photograph their own process, task or performance for feedback from teachers or peers. Teachers can document and comment on quality work samples and provide direction on areas of success or otherwise to class groups. A significant indicator of improved student achievement in assessment tasks is students’ knowing what quality achievement looks like.

Further information and training opportunities on Creativity Suite 4 applications including Photoshop, Premier Elements and Flash CS4 can be accessed on the TaLE website at: http://www.tale.edu.au/tale/live/teachers/shared/exchang e/share_school.jsp

and at: http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

E Portfolios

Application Feedback Possibilities

1.

Development of E Portfolios both as product and process to document student learning journeys has significant potential with technology. The One Note program has great possibilities in this area.

E portfolios can allow for the aggregation of digital artefacts by students in relation to a task ( web links, video clips, podcasts, written responses, etc), they can also allow for evidence of growth over time. Students can generate these portfolios for distribution both on and offline. The portfolios can be reviewed at different points and feedback given by teachers and peers. There are plenty of opportunities for self assessment, in terms of reflective artefacts. Parents can easily be involved in this process.

Further information and training opportunities on One Note can be accessed on the TaLE website at: http://www.tale.edu.au/tale/live/teachers/shared/exchange/share _school.jsp

and at: http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/onenote/FX100487701033.aspx

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

E Portfolios – Microsoft One Note

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Wikis and Blogs

Application

1. Creation of Wikis and Blogs

Feedback Possibilities

The generation of a Wiki or Blog allows for both reflection and commentary by peers on work and issues arising. Students are able to, for example, post queries on a particular aspect of an assignment which is commented upon by peer groups using typically student friendly language. Wikis can be utilised for group constructions which teachers can then both monitor in an ongoing manner and supply feedback. On line discourse may also be useful in promoting peer commentary for those students who are reluctant to engage in classroom discussion.

A practical discussion of how blogs may be used in a school setting is available in the SCAN issue Scan Vol 27 No2 May 2008. In this article the potential for blogs is examined in a NSW public school.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Blogs

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Wikis

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Email

Application

1. Email

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au

Feedback Possibilities

Email is an important way for students to communicate with teachers about their work. Email is a private space and well suited to support students who are less inclined to share their work or ask for assistance.

Discussion Contact

Ric Cilona Curriculum Directorate 9886 7498 [email protected]

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way www.det.nsw.edu.au