Teachers want to encourage students in their learning but are often unsure of how to do this in a way that actually creates change. Too much feedback (the paper covered in red ink) overwhelms, and too little feedback (Great job!) gives no real information. What does the research say about quality feedback, how feedback can focus on different needs, and how to use feedback as formative assessment?

1. Starting the Conversation about
Feedback
Jennifer Smithers Marten
#vlconf2014

2. #vlconf2014
Why do I take the time to write comments on their papers?

3. The students who need it, don’t read it.

4. Even the good kids just flip through to find the grade.

9. 3-point conventions score measures
•Punctuation
•Grammar
•Capitalization
•Spelling
6-point composition score measures
•Purpose
•Organization
•Content development
•Sentence fluency
•Word choice

10. ABOUT EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK
WHAT WE KNOW

11. #vlconf2014

12. "The effects of feedback depend on the
nature of the feedback. Feedback can be the
information that drives the process or the
stumbling block that derails the process."
~ Susan Brookhart

13. Evaluative Feedback
• Tells learners how they
compare to others
• Provides a
judgment summarizing the
quality of the learning
• Is a direct result of
summative assessment
Descriptive Feedback
• Provides specific
information in the form of
written comments or
conversations
• Helps the learner
understand what he or she
needs to do to improve
• Is a crucial part of formative
assessment

14. Achievement Feedback
• Tells the student what was
done well
• Praises the work or process,
not the student
Intervention Feedback
• Tells the student what
needs improving
• Gives enough information
so the student knows what
to do next

15. Feedback Levels
Three Questions
Where am I going?
How am I going?
Where to next?

16. • Just as a thermostat adjusts a room temperature,
effective feedback helps maintain a supportive
environment for learning.
•
~ Dylan Wiliam

17. How Feedback Varies

18. Attributes of Effective Feedback
Clear
Builds Trust
User-friendly
Specific
Focused
Differentiated
Timely
Invites Follow-Up
Tomlinson & Moon, 2013
Effective Strategies

19. Student-to-Student Feedback
Student to Student Strategies
Peer-to-Peer Feedback
Peer-to-Peer Strategies
Getting Feedback from Students
Student-to-Teacher Strategies

20. "The most powerful single moderator
that enhances achievement is
feedback." ~ John Hattie

21. Let’s continue the conversation

22. Contact Info
• Twitter: @jenmarten
• Blog: teach from the heart
• Skype: jenmarten
• Websites: Feedback
Tech in the Classroom
• Linkedin: jenmarten
• Email: jmarten@tds.net
#vlconf2014

23. Learn more about Visible Learningplus
at www.corwin.com/visiblelearning