April 10, 2018

By Dr Tracii Ryan, Faculty of Education, Monash University

Source: ASCILITE TELall Technology Enhanced Learning Blog

This blog post highlights the 18-month research project undertaken by Dr Ryan and her colleagues in Victoria on Feedback for Learning: Closing the assessment loop.

Quoting from the blog post, they:

identified twelve conditions that helped achieve feedback success. Feedback is successful when…

Capacity for Feedback

1. Learners and educators understand and value feedback
   
2. Learners are active in the feedback process
   
3. Educators seek and use evidence to plan and judge effectiveness
   
4. Learners and educators have access to appropriate space and technology

Designs for Feedback

1. Information provided is usable and learners know how to use it
   
2. It is tailored to meet the different needs of learners
   
3. A variety of sources and modes are used as appropriate
   
4. Learning outcomes of multiple tasks are aligned

Culture for Feedback

1. It is a valued and visible enterprise at all levels
   
2. There are processes in place to ensure consistency and quality
   
3. Leaders and educators ensure continuity of vision and commitment
   
4. Educators have flexibility to deploy resources to best effect.
   

Their data showed that technology had a role in enabling, or limiting, all twelve of these conditions.

Dr Ryan included two case study examples in her blog post, with further examples available at the project website: www.feedbackforlearning.org.

Professor David Boud, a member of the research team, will be delivering a keynote address "Rethinking and redesigning feedback for greater impact on learning" at the upcoming Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences Symposium in Wagga Wagga, April 12-13.

By Dr Elena Woodacre and Sandy Stockwell, University of Winchester, UK

Source: ASCILITE SIG Transforming Assessment

This 60-minute webinar, held on April 4, also discussed the use of technology to improve feedback. Comparing written and audio feedback, the presenters reported a positive response to audio feedback, and identified the benefit of tone of voice in reducing misinterpretation of feedback. They discussed the phases of their research, including categories for analysis and student vs. tutor perceptions of feedback.

Take away suggestions for enhancing feedback:

• Avoid one-word responses
  
• Posing questions when giving feedback may be challenging for students but does encourage deeper thinking on a topic
  
• Students prefer very specific guidance rather than general statements
  
• Avoid the use of OK without qualification or explanation
  
• Students recognise the use of ticks as positive affirmation, but make sure that what is being praised is absolutely clear
  
• Ensure that you are specific regarding whether feedback is providing suggestions for future work or simply identifying corrections.
  

These regular (monthly) Transforming Assessment seminars are free to register and are attended by participants from around the globe. Once registered, you will have access to the full archive of seminars dating back to 2010. Highly recommended for those of us who are interested in current evidence-based practice and research into assessment and associated topics.

Register at Transforming Assessment.

Photo credit: ransomtech on Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-SA

You have access to a range of quality CSU resources to help you provide effective feedback to students. Check out the following:

NORFOLK - the CSU paperless marking and feedback system

CSU Replay - an easy & effective way to create video feedback

Learning Technologies - the starting point for a range of feedback options

Technologies in Context: CSU Learning Exchange - a searchable database to promote online learning and teaching strategies

The CSU wiki - a faculty-based source of learning and teaching information and strategies

Feedback on assessment - providing effective and efficient assessment feedback and developing marking rubrics

and Further Reading on feedback - prompts to further your own research

Regular seminars on teaching-related topics, including feedback, are listed on the

CSU Professional Learning Calendar - accessed directly here

or from the Division of Learning and Teaching front page - accessed here

All CSU students and staff members have access to Lynda.com, an online subscription library that teaches the latest business, creative and software skills through high-quality instructional videos.

A search for 'feedback', with a filter for Higher Education returned 531 results ranging from general principles of providing feedback to the specifics of various tools and applications for creating and developing formative and summative feedback.

All staff with a CSU email address have free access to our new

CSU subscription to the Magna Commons series of online seminars.

A Magna Commons search for the keywords 'feedback' produced a list of 30 seminars relevant to this theme, including last week's feature. Other titles:

• Incorporating 360-Degree Assessment into Your Classroom (60 minutes, 2018)
• Engage Online Students with Targeted Feedback (60 minutes)
• Assessment Strategies for Flipped Learning Experiences (60 minutes)

Presentation handouts, full transcripts and supplementary resources are available for download if you don't have time to listen to the seminar.

How to subscribe

Staff with a CSU email address can obtain the Magna Commons CSU subscription code from Ellen McIntyre elmcintyre@csu.edu.au

Issue#1 Group Work: Seven Strategies to Enhance Learning through Group Work

Issue#2 Engagement: 10 Ways to Engage Your Students on the First Day of Class
Issue#3 Engagement: Motivate, Engage, and Inspire: Tips for Teaching Modern Learners

Issue#4 Academic Integrity: Why Students Cheat and What We Can Do About It

Issue#5 Feedback: Efficient and Effective Feedback in the Online Classroom

FoBJBS Newsletter: BOLD Issue#14

FoA&E Newsletter: NeXus Issue#1

To have TeachingTuesdays@CSU delivered direct to your inbox,
click on the button
Follow Ellen McIntyre

Email: elmcintyre@csu.edu.au
Website: https://www.csu.edu.au/division/learning-and-teaching/about-us/learning-academy
Phone: +61 2 6933 4726