This week's studies revolved around setting objectives, providing feedback, and providing recognition. I feel it is essential to set learning objectives for students, letting them know that it is important to follow certain steps to complete a goal. I recall an assignment where I laid out my expectations very clearly for the unit, stating they would learn how to write verbal phrases as variable expressions. By taking our time on the subject, along with having a methodical conversion procedure, this particular unit went quite well. On the other hand, there have been other times when I've assigned a group assignment with little to no further instruction, and the results were disastrous. I believe this went poorly because I set few parameters, and didn't specify roles for the group members. As far as providing feedback that encourages learning and recognition is concerned, one technological aid that I use is a graphing calculator. For example, when I review with my students I divide them into teams and assign them a number. Only I know this number, and when I use my random number generator it will select a student whose answer I should check. However, I make sure to look at everyone's paper, and I never reveal whose paper I actually looked at for the result unless they get it right. This provides positive reinforcement to those who answered correctly, along with correcting those who are incorrect (without degrading them). Other than that, I'm always looking for ways to expand technological use for feedback/recognition; the following resources were certainly informative in this respect.
One of the resources we were to review was "Feedback That Fits." I thought this article was very good at expressing the importance of educators exhibiting not just feedback, but feedback that helps students improve while encouraging their potential. I was reminded that as a teacher it is important to not just give answers, but rather formulate questions that make students more or less provide their own answers. Should they not be able to answer their question, I should provide help without blatantly giving them the answer. Whereas this is normal practice for me, occasionally time constraints cause me to get lazy, giving feedback that could be a little more productive. This article was a good reminder that feedback is an essential piece of the learning process.
We also examined some online resources geared toward student feedback, namely RubiStar and QuizStar. RubiStar provided an excellent template for creating a topic specific rubric. For example, if a teacher wanted to make a graphing assignment, RubiStar provides a drop-down menu of graphing related topics (labeling, accuracy of point plotting, and neatness). Should a teacher want to create his/her own topic, they can type in whatever graphing topics they choose. Once they have their topic list for their assignment, they can then specify the criteria for each individual topic (4-Exemplary, 3-Good w/ some errors, 2-minimal requirements met only, 1-barely acceptable, etc.). There is also a decent amount of text space available for typing in what would constitute a 4,3,2, or 1 (the point scale can also be changed if a person so chooses). QuizStar allows a teacher to create folders for their classes, create quizzes/exams for those classes, administer the quizzes/exams online, and finally analyze the results (also, displaying results to students is an option). This resource essentially gives instructors the ability to create/administer tests in an online setting. Seeing as my school only provides an online grade book (Skyward) for the students, being introduced to RubiStar and QuizStar will give me two valuable tools to aid my feedback to students.
My students keep a science journal in which they write down their thoughts on their readings or what they have just learned and how it relates to them in real life situations. Instead of me trying to read each journal entry and providing real feedback, which would take an infinite number of hours, I have my students switch journals and provide feedback to their peers. In the end, I listen as students read aloud their journal entries and the feedback they have received from their peers, which has proven to be very valuable. This way each student received multiple forms of feedback and this method provides me with a little more time to spend with those students who are struggling the most with the concept.
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