MOOC EDSCI1x | Video 2: Feedback and Teaching | Effective Teaching Strategies

Summary

Effective formative assessment is a powerful tool for enhancing student learning. It involves gathering feedback about student performance to guide both teaching and learning. Key principles include being clear about learning goals, understanding students' current knowledge, and providing feedback that focuses on strengths and areas for improvement. To maximize the impact, students should engage in self- and peer-assessment, and feedback should be acted upon. Creating a classroom culture that values continuous feedback and self-reflection helps students improve and strengthens their motivation and sense of competence.

Takeaways

• 😀 Feedback is essential for learning and is often gained through making mistakes, revising, and trying again.
• 😀 Formative assessment helps improve student learning by gathering information about performance to guide next steps.
• 😀 Effective formative assessment is guided by three key questions: What do you want students to learn? Where are they now? How do you move their learning forward?
• 😀 It’s crucial to clearly define and prioritize learning goals, ensuring students understand what success looks like.
• 😀 Students need clear, descriptive feedback to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and what to focus on next.
• 😀 Talking with students and engaging them in dialogue is one of the best ways to understand their current level of understanding.
• 😀 Teaching students to self-assess and peer-assess fosters independence and helps them identify areas for improvement.
• 😀 Grades should be decoupled from descriptive feedback, as research shows combining the two can reduce the effectiveness of the feedback.
• 😀 The feedback process is most effective when students take action on the feedback they receive, as this leads to improved learning outcomes.
• 😀 Providing too much feedback can overwhelm students and reduce its effectiveness; focus should be on key areas for improvement.
• 😀 Allocating time for students to respond to feedback is essential for helping them make meaningful improvements and fostering growth mindsets.

Q & A

Why is feedback considered the primary way we learn?

Feedback helps us understand where our efforts have fallen short, guiding us to revise and improve. It's through mistakes and errors that we receive the necessary information to adjust and enhance our performance.

What is formative assessment and how is it different from high-stakes testing?

Formative assessment is the process of gathering information about student performance to move their learning forward. Unlike high-stakes testing, which focuses on summative evaluation, formative assessment is designed to improve both teaching and student learning through ongoing feedback.

What are the three basic questions of effective formative assessment?

The three central questions of effective formative assessment are: 1) What is it you want your students to learn? 2) Where are they now? 3) How do you move their learning forward?

How can teachers prioritize learning outcomes in formative assessment?

Teachers should determine which learning outcomes are most important for students to master and ensure these are shared with the students. This helps students understand what skills and knowledge are crucial for long-term success.

What role does feedback play in helping students identify areas of improvement?

Feedback provides students with clear, tangible insights into their strengths and weaknesses. By highlighting what needs improvement, feedback helps them understand where they are falling short and how to focus on their most critical areas for growth.

What is the importance of involving students in the learning process and feedback?

Involving students in understanding learning goals and criteria for success motivates them to engage more actively in their learning. When students are part of the feedback loop, they become better equipped to assess their own work and track their progress.

Why should grades not be given alongside descriptive feedback?

When grades are given alongside feedback, students may focus more on the grade than on the feedback itself. This can cause them to ignore the valuable insights offered in the comments. The goal is to separate the evaluation of their work from the guidance on how to improve it.

What strategies can be used to help students respond to feedback effectively?

Providing clear, concise feedback, prioritizing key areas for improvement, and allocating time for students to reflect and act on the feedback are essential. Teachers should also encourage students to engage in self-assessment and peer assessment to internalize the feedback.

How does developing a growth mindset impact the effectiveness of feedback?

A growth mindset encourages students to believe that their efforts can lead to improvement. When students adopt this mindset, they are more likely to take feedback seriously and use it to enhance their learning and performance.

What is the relationship between formative assessment and teacher effectiveness?

Formative assessment provides real-time data on student progress, allowing teachers to adjust their teaching methods based on how well students are learning. This creates a dynamic connection between teaching and learning, which can significantly improve both teacher effectiveness and student outcomes.