Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Chapter 14 Supplemental Materials/Why is feedback important? 3
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[edit] WHY IS FEEDBACK IMPORTANT?
Why is Feedback Important?128.82.14.204 04:12, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
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Why is feedback important?
By Amy Wilson
Old Dominion University
Feedback as defined by the Webster's New World Dictionary is a process in which factors that produce a result are themselves changed, corrected, etc. by that result (Webster's 1971). In other words, any source that can be modified can get feedback. This is especially true in the education world.
All teachers, whether kindergarten teachers or college professors have responsibilities and goals. Their main objective is to prepare each student for the future: To teach as much as they possibly can and have the students understand and retain as much as they can. One of the techniques used to help with this is feedback. Feedback comes from the teacher to the student, from the student to the teacher, from the teacher’s peers, and hopefully from the parents.
There are different types of feedback, many of which have been tested and had positive results. In this section you will learn about different types of feedback and the positive or negative results that the studies have shown.
The first type is corrective, immediate feedback (CIF), this is applied mostly while the teacher is in the classroom helping the students with papers or seatwork. The students that receive the corrective, immediate feedback respond with great improvement. They retain what they are being taught much longer and the teacher can correct any confusion the student may have immediately. The downside of the corrective, immediate feedback is that it interrupts the instructional flow, sometimes causing the teacher to “fall behind” with the lesson plans. According to the Teacher Education and Special Education Journal, a recent study involving five teachers had an overall percentage increase from 3 to 17%(Scheeler 2006). This was the correct response the students gave after using the corrective, immediate feedback. Before using this technique the teachers ranged from 30-92% of completion with their lessons. After including the feedback, they all reached the criteria level of 90%(Scheeler 2006).
"ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK in the context of multiple choice testing date back more than 75 years and have taken a variety of forms involving the use of mechanical devices (Pressey, 1950), latent image technology (Abplanalp, 1995), and computers (Wise, Plake, Pozehl, Barnes, & Luken, 1989). The Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IFAT) is a relatively new, commercially available answer form for multiple-choice testing that can be used conveniently with large classes" (DiBattista 2006).
"Using the immediate feedback assessment technique (IFAT) did not generally increase test-related anxiety, and for a majority of students, immediate feedback actually reduced it. Nineteen percent of students felt that immediate feedback interfered with their test performance but would nevertheless still prefer to use the IFAT in future tests. Potential concerns that test-anxious students may either dislike the IFAT or be disadvantaged by its use appear unwarranted and should not deter instructors from adopting the IFAT" (DiBattista 2006).
The opposite of the corrective, immediate feedback is delayed feedback. This is when the teacher assigns the students work to do on their own. After the students finish the assignment and turn it in, the teacher corrects it and gives it back. Delayed feedback is not considered as effective as the corrective, immediate feedback. The results of the correction are done after the student has already done the work. As seen in the results of a poll done, delayed feedback is not usually preferred by the students.
Mrs. Keffer, a first grade teacher, was asked which feedback method she used, “I teach more by what I am than by what I teach.(Keffer 2006)” When asked what she meant she replied, “I like to be corrected when I am doing something wrong, therefore I correct my students immediately when they need it.”(Keffer 2006)
Deferred feedback and immediate feedback are two ways supervisors can provide information for the teachers. Deferred feedback is when the principal or supervisor observes the teacher during class time and takes notes. Later on, the supervisor will meet with the teacher for his overview of the lesson. Immediate feedback is given by the supervisor while the teacher is giving the lesson.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. With deferred feedback, the supervisor is not interrupting the lesson and the students can concentrate on the task. On the other hand, the teacher may be using a poor method of presentation, and the lesson could have been achieved more efficiently.
Immediate feedback stops poor lessons or presentations of the material immediately. However, it does interrupt the class flow and the attention of the students. Sometimes the students will lose total focus and the whole class period could be lost.
Descriptive feedback is another type of feedback that comes from the students. This is done during reflective conversation. The descriptive feedback helps the learners to trust and feel comfortable communicating with the teacher. This also helps the teacher to correct any presentation or communication problems with the lesson.
The technology we have today is an excellent source of feedback. Computers via the e-mail or websites have opened a new window for this generation. Teachers and employers can contribute information to their students or employees via the computer. This not only helps to eliminate any confusion the student may have, but it can also give immediate access to the correction of the problem. Some studies have proven this is a positive reinforcement for many educational fields.
In conclusion feedback is not only used in the education field, but everywhere. Without feedback we would never get the chance to learn how to solve problems or experience new forms of ideas. Everyone would do things the same way. Feedback gives our lives and our students lives a little variety. It opens the windows for greater success and experimental trials.
[edit] References
Abplanalp, P. (1995). Application of latent image technology to the multiple-choice test format. Optometric Education, 20, 118-123.
Clariana, Roy B; Koul, Ravinder. The effects of different forms of feedback on fuzzy and verbatim memory of science principles [electronic version]. The British Journal of Educational Psychology v.76 no. pt2
DiBattista, David; Gosse, Leanne. Test Anxiety and the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique [electronic version]. The Journal of Experimental Eduction v.74 no. 4
Keffer, Mrs. Shirley; personal interview. Teacher/Parent for 30 years.
Pressey, S. L. (1950). Development and appraisal of devices providing immediate automatic scoring of objective tests and concomitant self-instruction. The Journal of Psychology, 29, 417-447.
Rodgers, Carol R. (Summer 2006) Attending to Student Voice: The Impact of Descriptive Feedback on Learning and Teaching [electronic version]. Curriculum Inquiry Journal v. 36 no. 2 p. 209-37
Scheeler, Mary Catherine; Mcafee, James K.; Ruhl, Kathy L. Effects of Corrective Feedback via Wireless Technology on Preservice Teacher Performance and Student Behavior [electronic version] Teacher Education and Special Education Journal v29 no. 1
Webster's New World Dictionary; Young Peopl's Edition, 1971
Wise, S. L., Plake, B. S., Pozehl, B. J., Barnes, L. B., & Luken, L. E. (1989). Providing item feedback in computer-based tests: Effects of initial success and failure. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 49, 479-486
[edit] Multiple Choice questions:
1. A student is doing classwork at her desk, the teacher walks over and sees something wrong and helps the student. This is ___________________ feedback.
2. Mr. Eary is your administrator and while you are teaching a lesson about mammals, he walks in and sits down. He takes notes and stays in your room about an hour. A week goes by and you still have heard nothing about his review. This is a type of ________________ feedback?
3. As a teacher in class, you ask your students to respond and comment on your teaching presentations. This type of feedback is called? 4. Feedback gives the original source a chance to be _________________.
5. Feedback is used by __________________________
