1 Giving and receiving feedback
Videoing a teacher in their classroom provides the basis for discussion with the teacher and feedback on the teaching and learning that is taking place. Research shows that people benefit from getting feedback on their work and that this can have more impact on their development than almost anything else (Hattie, 2012). However, often it is not well implemented, thereby reducing the potentially beneficial effects (Petty, 2009). This applies to feedback we give teachers on their classroom practices and on their written work.
Effective feedback is informative. It is composed in such a way that the effort that the individual has made is appreciated. It makes explicit what has been done well and it provides guidance on how to improve. Good feedback helps the student or teacher to prepare for the next assignment or lesson. Phrases such as these can be helpful:
These statements are more likely to motivate and encourage the individual to take risks in the future. Feedback that is judgemental and compares them unfavourably to others is more likely to lead to individuals becoming apprehensive about their work in the future. It may also discourage them from taking risks.
You can read more about giving feedback in the TESS-India Key Resource ‘Monitoring and giving feedback’ [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] (English) and the same document in Hindi.
Activity 3.2: Giving feedback
In this activity you will consider some different examples of feedback. These were given to a student teacher who had written about assessment.
Example 1: ‘Very good work.’
Example 2: ‘You have explained the difference between formative and summative assessment very clearly, although a few more examples of formative assessment would be helpful. Think about how summative assessment might be used formatively. This will help you with the next assignment, which is about using assessment in the classroom.’
Example 3: ‘More detail needed. There are some typographical errors and you need to pay attention to your grammar.’
Example 4: ‘Well done. A clear explanation of the difference between formative and summative assessment.’
- Which example of feedback do you think is most useful to the student, and why?
- Which example is the least helpful?
- What feedback would you give to the teacher in the video you watched in Activity 3.1?
[] Record your responses in your study notebook. Some examples of effective feedback are outlined in the document ‘Examples of feedback’.
Introduction