Creating a dialogue over feedback between staff and students in the classroom and online

1. I received prompt feedback which enabled me to improve in time for the next assessment/exam Creating a dialogue over feedback between staff and students in the classroom and online Heather A. Thornton H.A.Thornton@herts.ac.uk Stephanie Wyer S.A.Wyer@herts.ac.uk

2. This session • To share and discuss the experiences and practices of the lecturers and participants; • To experience activities on peer feedback from a learners perspective; • To give the participants the opportunity to consider how student peer feedback could be used in their own teaching practice.

3. Importance of feedback? • Staff feedback - students think that it is sometimes useful/helpful yet rarely (2%) think it stimulates discussion • In absence of mark – students read feedback much more carefully. J.A. Hattie (1987), "Identifying the salient facets of a model of student learning: A synthesis of meta-analyses", International Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 11 pp.187 - 212. Maclellan, E. (2001). 'Assessment for learning: the differing perceptions of tutors and students'. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 26 (4), 307-318 .

4. Feedback very rarely allowed us to know how to improve before handing in the next piece Activity 1 Discuss in small groups using triggers What is feedback? • Definitions • Perceptions • Issues Turnaround on feedback for many assessments is relatively slow sometimes meaning you have handed in another piece before learning from the previous one • Feedback • could be given in • more depth and • detail

5. Why encourage peer feedback?

6. Case 1 - online. Who? • Postgraduate students studying 15 credit module Why? • Most students haven’t written academically for years • Engages them with StudyNet (MLE) • Get’s students working on assignment early • Relates to topic of course - communication

7. Case 1 – online

8. Peer review grid Please comment on the following on the discussion threads. You each need to : • Read the paragraphs allocated to you • Hit reply and give positive and development feedback then save.

9. Rules of feedback Activity 2 • Look at the examples what would you write? Information given to students on News item • Go to class discussion and comment on the two scripts you have been allocated. • Must give positive first then areas for development

10. Example 1 • The author is clear and concise and describes the situation well. It could benefit from more details explaining whether there was a communication problem and whether the SCRM model was effective, and what future changes in communication might be applied. It would also be interesting to explain how the author's use of personal power empowered the team. • Well described communication incident with good referenced self analysis of your communication style.Explanation of how your use of personal power could empower the team to feel consulted, would further develop this piece.Reflection on the team reaction to use of this communication style could provide valuable guidance to future management of similar communication incidents.

11. Example 2 • I like the example - it's really good. Referencing needs to have years (I know they are hard to find!). It would be interesting to delve into the discussion with staff that had lead to you finding out about their differing views and why they were so different in the meeting. • This a very honest reflection with clear identification of management approaches employed and recognition that individual staff concerns differed from the original assumption.Further exploration of methods to empower the employees could provide strategies for future encounters and facilitate more positive outcomes.

12. Discussion • Online – text based permanence of record • Set up - give examples for students • Peer pressure • Resource for learning

13. Case 2. - in the classroom in weekly seminars. Who? • Undergraduate – third years in weekly seminars Why? • Engages students with the student presentations • Builds collaboration in groups and in cohort • Orientates them to marking criteria • Encourages them to reflect and develop presentation skills from one week to another

14. Third year module(Week programme)

15. Case 2- classroom How? • Students given template and advice • Sheets handed out before each presentation • Collected after each presentation and passed to presenting team • Repeated every week – use feedback

16. Case 2- classroom Activity 3 • In groups consider how might you use / adapt this for your teaching.

17. Assessment Experience Questionnaire Student learning is best supported when the following conditions are met: • Sufficient feedback is provided, often enough & in enough detail • The feedback is provided quickly enough to be useful to students • Feedback focuses on learning rather than on marks or students • Feedback is linked to the purpose of the assignment and to criteria • Feedback is understandable to students, given their sophistication • Feedback is received by students and attended to • Feedback is acted upon by students to improve their work or their learning (Gibbs & Simpson, 2004) Gibbs, G. and Simpson, C. (2004a). 'Conditions under which assessment supports students' learning'. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education 1, 3-31.

18. Discussion Peer feedback needs: • Change in tutor role • Scaffolding required for students to participate Students views: “the peer feedback was really great, we got so much from it, whoever had that idea it was a really good one”

19. Any further questions? Heather A. Thornton H.A.Thornton@herts.ac.uk Stephanie Wyer S.A.Wyer@herts.ac.uk