Five things I have learned from students about feedback

1. Five things I have learned from students about feedback Dr Georgina Fyfe School of Biomedical Sciences Curtin University Western Australia

2. Curtin University • Largest in Western Australia (of 5) • Mostly vocational courses • Large Faculty of Health Sciences • Contains many Schools • Pharmacy, Physio, OT, Public Health, Nursing & MW, Psychology • Plus my School; Biomedical Sciences • Courses in MLSc, MolGen, Human Biol

3. Opportunities to gain insight • My classroom teaching

4. Opportunities to gain insight • My classroom teaching • Interest in enhancing learning/feedback on assessment/reflective practice for students

5. Opportunities to gain insight • My classroom teaching • Interest in enhancing learning/feedback on assessment/reflective practice for students • 2005 collaborative grant to enhance feedback for on-line tests across three West Australian universities

6. My classroom teaching • Mainly undergraduate students • Design curriculum incl assessment • Includes service teaching • E.g. medical Imaging • 1st, 2nd and 3rd years

7. My classroom teaching • Mainly undergraduate students • Design curriculum incl assessment • Includes service teaching • 1st, 2nd and 3rd years • 1st yrs “do I know enough?”

8. My classroom teaching • Mainly undergraduate students • Design curriculum incl assessment • Includes service teaching • 1st, 2nd and 3rd years • 1st yrs “do I know enough?” • 2nd yrs “do I understand this properly?”

9. My classroom teaching • Mainly undergraduate students • Design curriculum incl assessment • Includes service teaching • 1st, 2nd and 3rd years • 1st yrs “do I know enough?” • 2nd yrs “do I understand this properly?” • 3rd yrs “how can I improve?”

10. My classroom teaching • Mainly undergraduate students • Design curriculum incl assessment • Includes service teaching • 1st, 2nd and 3rd years • 25 yrs designing, delivering and marking assessment tasks AND providing feedback

11. Interest in feedback on assessment/reflective practice • Trying different types of assessment • Varying the feedback given • Seeking feedback from students - what works for them and why

12. Interest in feedback on assessment/reflective practice • Trying different types of assessment • Varying the feedback given • Seeking feedback from students - what works for them and why • Reflecting on my own perceptions and use of feedback and trying to model good practice

13. Interest in feedback on assessment/reflective practice • Trying different types of assessment • Varying the feedback given • Seeking feedback from students - what works for them and why • Reflecting on my own perceptions and use of feedback and trying to model good practice

14. Paper-based reflective practice following assessment • How did you go? • Better/worse than/same as expected • Why? • Areas of syllabus material giving problems? • Test technique? • Strategies for improvement

18. 2005 collaborative grant • funded by Australian Learning & Teaching Council (then Carrick) • to enhance feedback for on-line MCQ/Short Answer tests • across three West Australian universities, Human Biol discipline • Large potential sample

19. 2005 collaborative grant • Wrote and implemented feedback for on-line MCQ/TF assessment tasks • Based on focus gp & survey info • Incorporated optional reflective bit (following feedback) at end of test

24. 2005 collaborative grant • Wrote and implemented feedback for on-line MCQ/TF assessment tasks • Based on focus gp & survey info • Incorporated optional reflective bit (following feedback) at end of test Gained info from initial survey (n=1099) and collected test usage patterns & perceptions from post-test survey and matched to student perceptions/expectations/demogs

25. Feedback Guiding Principles • Address “why”, not “what” • Use plain language except for key terms (in parentheses as encountered) • Affirmation for correct responses • Where need to choose incorrect statement re-iterate in affirmation (“You are right! That statement was untrue.”) and as a general comment • Personal voice for correct responses, impersonal for pointing out error • Give mental images to remember by,avoid meaningless mnemonic aids • 1-2 sentences Excellent use of brackets within the feedback. (ECU)

26. Which of the following statements is CORRECT? Tests with Feedback • UWA & CURTIN • 30 questions • Each chosen randomly from topic sets of 5 -15 questions • WebCT • ECU50 questions • No variation • Blackboard Designed to take about 1 minute per question

27. Tests with Feedback

28. Conditions Under Which Available

29. So what are my five things..?

30. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback

31. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback • Must be timely & relevant • Students like a selection available • Like to receive multiple types • E.g. reasons for right as well as wrong answers • Ideal/most useful may differ • For individuals, different assessment tasks • Over time (development of skills)

32. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback • Student perceptions don’t always match teacher perceptions

33. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback • Student perceptions don’t always match teacher perceptions • Recognising feedback • Remind them they are getting it • What is useful • Assessment as a feedback opportunity • Using feedback well takes practice

34. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback • Student perceptions don’t always match teacher perceptions • Students like feedback to be personal

35. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback • Student perceptions don’t always match teacher perceptions • Students like feedback to be personal • Acknowledge personal traits • Emails with attached model answers • In-class reviews of tests • Margin or summary comments

36. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback • Student perceptions don’t always match teacher perceptions • Feedback needs a personal touch • Students want a dialogue about their feedback

37. Students want a dialogue about their feedback • As in good learning • Aids clarification, acceptance and reflection • Could be peer, self • Reflection on assessment performance following feedback • Close the loop by following up • communicate back to students

38. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback • Student perceptions don’t always match teacher perceptions • Feedback needs a personal touch • Students want a dialogue about their feedback • Importance of feedback cannot be underestimated

39. Importance of feedback cannot be underestimated • Important for progress • But only if assessment task can be recalled • Should be available from every assessment task prior to next • ..even end-of-sem summative • Our most important role? • Provide expert feedback • Facilitate skills development

40. So what are my five things..? • Variety of feedback • Student perceptions don’t always match teacher perceptions • Feedback needs a personal touch • Students want a dialogue about their feedback • Provisionof feedback our most important role