Online moderators course - functions of feedback

1. Motivational Feedback
in online learning
Paulina Kuzmo-Biwan

2. Characteristics of a good
feedback
Feedback is providing effective
information on someone’s
performance (in brief – it is to tell
someone how they are doing in
the process of achieving certain
goals).
The term has been widely used
by formative assessment

3. Characteristics of a good
feedback
In formative assessment there are
4 elements of a good feedback:
Information on what was
good
Things to be corrected (just
1-2, not more)
Few cues on what and how to
improve
Direction for future
development

4. Characteristics of a good
feedback
The important thing is that we
should always find something
positive. Secondly, we should
remember to avoid giving simple
advice. It’s better to use questions
(e.g. What do you think about
changing the font to make the text
look clear?).

5. Characteristics of a good
feedback
Remember – feedback is
description, not criticism.

6. Mistakes in giving feedback
Most so-called feedback is really
advice or praise. Moreover, the
feedback is not clear and descriptive
enough about what did and didn’t
happen as a result of some action
taken to achieve a purpose. (e.g. a
total score of 72 out of 100 on a math
quiz is the feedback; its meaning for
action is unclear).
G. Wiggins

7. Mistakes in giving feedback
Incorrect
“Nice job on the project, Sheshona!”
Correct
“Nice job on the project, Sheshona! You answered the
essential question in great depth, with lots of illustrative
examples, and your oral presentation was polished and
informative.”
Incorrect
“Next time, Sam, you’ll want to make your thesis clearer to
the reader”.
Correct
“I found it very difficult to grasp your main point. At the
start, it seemed that you were arguing against mining
coal, but in paragraph three you focused on the need to
provide healthcare to all workers. Next time, Sam, you’ll
want to make your thesis clearer to the reader”.

8. Mistakes in giving feedback
Incorrect
“The lesson would be more effective, Shana, if your visuals were
more polished and supportive of the teaching.”
Correct
“Your spoken delivery was clear and your account of the topic was
a helpful and interesting summary: most students were engaged.
Alas, the supporting materials you supplied looked unfinished
and rough; 5-6 students were confused by them. The lesson
would be more effective, Shana, if your visuals were more
polished and supportive of the teaching.”
Incorrect
“You taught about ants, Stefan? I LOVE ants!”
Correct
“You taught about ants, Stefan? I LOVE ants! However, the task
was not to please me; the task was to make students ignorant or
afraid of an animal to become interested in them. Yet, you began
as if the students already shared your interest in ants instead of
helping them overcome their distaste and become more
interested in them.”*
*examples taken from G. Wiggins.

9. Function of feedback
The most important function of
feedback is to motivate the
person.

10. Function of feedback
This table (Hatti, Timperley)
shows the effect size of
different forms of feedback
(over 0.4 – high effect, over
0.6 – very high).

11. Function of feedback

12. Characteristics of a good
feedback
According to G. Wiggins
(„Feedback for Learning” Vol. 70,
no. 1) there are 7 keys to effective
feedback.

13. Characteristics of a good
feedback
1. Goal-referenced.
Information becomes feedback if, and only
if, I am trying to cause something and the
information tells me whether I am on track
or need to change course.

14. Characteristics of a good
feedback
2. Tangible and transparent.
The best feedback is so tangible that
anyone who has a goal can learn from it.

15. Characteristics of a good
feedback
3. Actionable
Effective feedback is concrete, specific,
and useful; it provides actionable
information. Thus, "Good job!" and "You
did that wrong" and B+ are not feedback at
all. We can easily imagine the learners
asking themselves in response to these
comments, What specifically should I do
more or less of next time, based on this
information? No idea. They don't know
what was "good" or "wrong" about what
they did.

16. Characteristics of a good
feedback
4. User-friendly
Even if feedback is specific and accurate in
the eyes of experts or bystanders, it is not
of much value if the user cannot
understand it or is overwhelmed by it.

17. Characteristics of a good
feedback
5. Timely
In most cases, the sooner I get feedback,
the better. I don't want to wait for hours or
days to find out whether my students were
attentive and whether they learned, or
which part of my written story works and
which part doesn't.

18. Characteristics of a good
feedback
6. Ongoing
If you play Angry Birds, Halo, Guitar Hero,
or Tetris, you know that the key to
substantial improvement is that the
feedback is both timely and ongoing. When
you fail, you can immediately start over—
sometimes even right where you left off—
to get another opportunity to receive and
learn from the feedback.

19. Characteristics of a good
feedback
7. Consistent
Performers can only adjust their
performance successfully if the information
fed back to them is stable, accurate, and
trustworthy*.
*all the quotations taken from G.Wiggins

20. Feedback and online learning
It’s crucial for online learning
activities (such as eTwinning
projects, live events, groups) to
make sure that all the activities
include feedback.
If we finish the task and do not
know what the result was, why do
the task next time?

21. Feedback and projects
Why so many online activities lack
feedback? At the same time, why
not use feedback as a good way
of interaction between pupils
and/or teachers? All in all,
eTwinning is based on interaction.

22. Feedback and eTwinning
How to do it in eTwinning?
 Use peer feedback (e.g. tell your students
to choose one work of their partners and
write a comment on it; share your opinion
after an event created by eTwinner).
 Use teacher-student feedback (it’s even
better when your partner writes feedback
for your students, and you do the same for
his/her pupils).
 Use peer assessment feedback (write a few
motivational words on the forum, in the
journal etc.). Make eTwinners know you see
their work.

23. Presentation based on:
 Hattie, J. (2008). Visible learning: A
synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses
relating to achievement. New York:
Routledge.
 Hattie, J., Timperley H. The Power of
feedback. ‘Review of Educational
Research’ 2007 77:81.
 Granted, and… - thoughts on
education by Grant Wiggins, available
at:
https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/20
14/04/15/what-feedback-is-and-isnt/