Bill Osterholt
EDU 654.70_Methods for Online Teaching & Learning
Dr. Jayme Linton
April 21, 2017
Teaching Through Communication and Feedback
I selected articles which address “Teaching Through Communication and Feedback” in several different academic levels. Articles include analysis of this topic from elementary school to higher education. In addition, the importance of feedback is covered in an article on online teaching. One common denominator is the emphasis on timely feedback.
Beginning with “Analyzing Feedback Processes in Online Teaching and Learning Environment: An Exploratory Study”, the authors Anna Espasa and Julio Meneses, emphasis in an online environment, “feedback is a key element in a teacher’s role because it can promote the regulation of learning” (Espasa and Meneses 2010). They go on to cite studies in 1991 and 2008 which reinforce the importance in higher education. Three basic types of feedback are identified: interactive – response to questions on content, retroactive – following assignment, and proactive – after final assignment. Regarding feedback on the final assignment, it was reported only 57% of students received this impute. I personally experienced this. As the article states, this may be looked on as secondary importance because it is at the end of a course. It was very important to me as it was a summative and overall evaluation of my learning during the course. It also is crucial to structure future work. When requested, the instructors/professors were always forthcoming with comments and advice. Formative feedback is given continually, which gives the student information on how to improve their work and take learning to the next step.
In “The Power of Feedback”, authors: John Hattie and Helen Timperley cover similar points. They begin by stating: “feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement, but this impact can be either positive or negative” (Hattie and Timperley 2007). The article focuses on feedback that is effective. Review of the timing of feedback and the effects of positive and negative communication are also covered. Different agents are also discussed: teacher, peer, book, parental, and self-experience. This can give a student understanding, corrective information, encouragement, alternative strategies, and clarity of ideas. In this way, feedback becomes intertwined with instruction providing a new instruction rather than informing the student only about correctness. Praise alone is ineffective because it contains little learning-related information. “Effective teaching not only involves imparting information and understanding to students but also involves assessing and evaluating students’ understanding of this information” (Hattie and Timperley 2007). In this way, teaching can evolve to the next step in the students’ development. Three main questions should be addressed in communication and feedback: Where am I going?, How am I going?, and Where to next? In ideal learning environments, both teachers and students seek answers to these questions.
The difficulties of students to grasp what are the qualities of good work is the subject of “Understanding Students’ Experiences of Being Assessed: The Interplay between Prior Guidance, Engaging with Assessments and Receiving Feedback” by Velda McCune and Susan Rhind. Challenges students face in understanding what work would be accepted as quality is the reasoning behind the assessment. They define the overall plan as, “understanding guidance and feedback as interrelated steps in a cycle, which also encompassed students’ prior knowledge while offering new insight” (McCune and Rhind 2014). The authors also stress the power of the spoken word in encouraging students. This provides a personal touch which is both encouraging and motivational.
“EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY: The Kairos of Teaching with Student Texts”, by Rolf Norgaard, centers on the feedback in which a writer receives from readers of their work. In structured collaborative learning environments, such as small-group workshops, one on one pairs, or in a seminar, the author states this “encourages the student/author to acknowledge, question, or clarify in reaction to readers impute” (Norgaard 2014). He further states this will help expand students’ personal horizons by having them switch roles. As an example to the students, he strives to communicate that criticism, when constructive, represents respect: “I care enough about the students’ ideas to pay close attention to them” (Norgaard 2014). When implemented correctly, peer review takes on fresh relevance and credibility.
My final article is “Focus on Formative Feedback” by Valerie J. Shute. “Formative feedback is defined in this review as information communicated to the learner that is intended to modify his or her thinking or behavior for the purpose of improving learning” (Shute 2008). The author concentrates on task-level feedback. This type of feedback provides specific and timely information about a specific task or problem, compared to summary feedback. This, she points out, is required for struggling students who may need greater support. Whereas summary information is more useful for modifying instruction to the whole class and for self-evaluation of how one is progressing.
All these articles stress the significance of feedback. In addition, they underline the importance of timely, positive, and constructive criticism in the area of feedback and communication. “According to researchers, formative feedback should be nonevaluative, sup- porting, timely, and specific” (Shute 2008). In summary, feedback and constructive communication are essential to improving knowledge and developing academic skills.
Beginning with “Analyzing Feedback Processes in Online Teaching and Learning Environment: An Exploratory Study”, the authors Anna Espasa and Julio Meneses, emphasis in an online environment, “feedback is a key element in a teacher’s role because it can promote the regulation of learning” (Espasa and Meneses 2010). They go on to cite studies in 1991 and 2008 which reinforce the importance in higher education. Three basic types of feedback are identified: interactive – response to questions on content, retroactive – following assignment, and proactive – after final assignment. Regarding feedback on the final assignment, it was reported only 57% of students received this impute. I personally experienced this. As the article states, this may be looked on as secondary importance because it is at the end of a course. It was very important to me as it was a summative and overall evaluation of my learning during the course. It also is crucial to structure future work. When requested, the instructors/professors were always forthcoming with comments and advice. Formative feedback is given continually, which gives the student information on how to improve their work and take learning to the next step.
In “The Power of Feedback”, authors: John Hattie and Helen Timperley cover similar points. They begin by stating: “feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement, but this impact can be either positive or negative” (Hattie and Timperley 2007). The article focuses on feedback that is effective. Review of the timing of feedback and the effects of positive and negative communication are also covered. Different agents are also discussed: teacher, peer, book, parental, and self-experience. This can give a student understanding, corrective information, encouragement, alternative strategies, and clarity of ideas. In this way, feedback becomes intertwined with instruction providing a new instruction rather than informing the student only about correctness. Praise alone is ineffective because it contains little learning-related information. “Effective teaching not only involves imparting information and understanding to students but also involves assessing and evaluating students’ understanding of this information” (Hattie and Timperley 2007). In this way, teaching can evolve to the next step in the students’ development. Three main questions should be addressed in communication and feedback: Where am I going?, How am I going?, and Where to next? In ideal learning environments, both teachers and students seek answers to these questions.
The difficulties of students to grasp what are the qualities of good work is the subject of “Understanding Students’ Experiences of Being Assessed: The Interplay between Prior Guidance, Engaging with Assessments and Receiving Feedback” by Velda McCune and Susan Rhind. Challenges students face in understanding what work would be accepted as quality is the reasoning behind the assessment. They define the overall plan as, “understanding guidance and feedback as interrelated steps in a cycle, which also encompassed students’ prior knowledge while offering new insight” (McCune and Rhind 2014). The authors also stress the power of the spoken word in encouraging students. This provides a personal touch which is both encouraging and motivational.
“EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY: The Kairos of Teaching with Student Texts”, by Rolf Norgaard, centers on the feedback in which a writer receives from readers of their work. In structured collaborative learning environments, such as small-group workshops, one on one pairs, or in a seminar, the author states this “encourages the student/author to acknowledge, question, or clarify in reaction to readers impute” (Norgaard 2014). He further states this will help expand students’ personal horizons by having them switch roles. As an example to the students, he strives to communicate that criticism, when constructive, represents respect: “I care enough about the students’ ideas to pay close attention to them” (Norgaard 2014). When implemented correctly, peer review takes on fresh relevance and credibility.
My final article is “Focus on Formative Feedback” by Valerie J. Shute. “Formative feedback is defined in this review as information communicated to the learner that is intended to modify his or her thinking or behavior for the purpose of improving learning” (Shute 2008). The author concentrates on task-level feedback. This type of feedback provides specific and timely information about a specific task or problem, compared to summary feedback. This, she points out, is required for struggling students who may need greater support. Whereas summary information is more useful for modifying instruction to the whole class and for self-evaluation of how one is progressing.
All these articles stress the significance of feedback. In addition, they underline the importance of timely, positive, and constructive criticism in the area of feedback and communication. “According to researchers, formative feedback should be nonevaluative, sup- porting, timely, and specific” (Shute 2008). In summary, feedback and constructive communication are essential to improving knowledge and developing academic skills.
References
Espasa, A., & Meneses, J. (2010). Analysing Feedback Processes in an Online Teaching and Learning Environment: An Exploratory Study. Higher Education, 59(3), 277-292. Retrieved from http://0- www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/stable/25622183
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81- 112. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/stable/4624888
McCune, V., & Rhind, S. (2014). Understanding Students’ Experiences of Being Assessed: The Interplay between Prior Guidance, Engaging with Assessments and Receiving Feedback. In Kreber C.,Anderson C., Entwistle N., & McArthur J. (Eds.), Advances and Innovations in University Assessment and Feedback (pp. 246-263). Edinburgh University Press. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/stable/10.3366/j.ctt14brxp5.18
Norgaard, R. (2010). EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY: The Kairos of Teaching with Student Texts. In HARRIS J., MILES J., & PAINE C. (Eds.), Teaching With Student Texts: Essays Toward an Informed Practice (pp. 229-242). University Press of Colorado. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/stable/j.ctt4cgmg3.28
Shute, V. (2008). Focus on Formative Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 78(1), 153-189. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/stable/40071124
Bill,
ReplyDeleteYour review of these studies on feedback makes me wonder if we could change the vocabulary of those outside of education to embrace "Feedback" over standardized assessments. Given the consistent theme in your research that repeatedly asserts the importance of feedback, I wonder what our classrooms would look like if teachers were focused on the timeliness, positive nature, and constructive nature of the feedback they provided students and parents.
None of your reviews mention the time management aspect involved in providing this feedback. I read a few articles, that while echoing the importance of feedback, brought in the concept of peer feedback in the formative stages to help students progress. I wonder if you have seen this used in the class where you are working.
Thank you for the solid reminder of how to help our students develop whether in elementary school or college.
- Amanda Daniels