The frustration
We spend hours writing feedback. Ensuring we have the ‘correct’ pen colour. We deploy the appropriate annotations conscientiously – ‘EBI’, ‘WWW’, ‘LBTQ?’, ‘SP’, ‘GR’, ‘Narr/desc’ – I feel like writing ‘RUReading?’. We hand the essays back and the students spend 10 minutes (and it doesn’t matter how old they are) comparing grades or scores. Ask them what their last feedback was and invariably you will be met with ‘I can’t remember’. Yet we know that the feedback is the most important part of out marking. Many of us slog the ‘MRI’ (green pen added by the student to their work to evidence a ‘dialogue’) but when did this become the only approach to feedback? Can we not mix this up a bit? There are plenty of alternative and effective approaches to feedback. Here are my top five suggestions.
1. Don’t give them a grade.
I speak about this is an earlier blog. There is so much evidence to suggest that a grade distracts the student from their feedback. They spend too much time comparing grades with their peers. It allows the coasters to continue. For those with a fixed mind, it confirms that there is little hope. Some girls might completely crumble as their identity is linked to academic success. For the successful, it gives them no where else to go. You can keep the grade but just give them the targets and see how well they can perform.
2. Let them ‘find’ their feedback.
This takes a little organisation but it is very effective. Type out the feedback for the class. For each student, put their printed feedback alongside 3 other pieces of feedback for other students. They take the slips of paper from their envelope and have to find the right comments and mark/grade for their assessment. This will mean they really have to consider the mark scheme as well as the highlights and lowlights of their essay.
3. Highlighting the targets
When a student has had some feedback. I expect them to set themselves a target ahead of their next piece. On my A level coversheets, the student will write it in the box at the top. This target will be given a colour by the student which they use to highlight where it is within their new piece of work. So, for example, student X needs to link to the question at the start and ends of paragraphs. As a result, student X will use a yellow highlighter to highlight on their new work where they have linked before it is handed in. I simply will not take the work, until this is done!
4. Give audio feedback
Students are used to getting their content in short digital soundbites. Some research has shown that student respond especially well to audio recordings of their feedback. Students have reported that they find it more personal, more clearly expressed and detailed. Other reports note that students are more likely to listen to rather than read feedback. If you must give a grade, why not do it at the very end of the recording.
5. The students ask for the feedback.
Instead of feedback being a one-sided affair. Why no get the students to indicate an area in their answer that they would like feedback upon? This could be achieved by a simple annotation in the margins of their work. Or, ask your students to indicate something they found especially hard in completing the work. Therefore, you can give some feedback on how they did and what they need to do to improve.
Do you have some fresh suggestions to bring to the table? I would love to hear about them.