The Power of Feedback

Hattie & Timperley (2007) from

Review of Educational Research, 77(1)

The Meaning of Feedback

Info provided by something/someone regarding performance or understanding People (teachers, parents, peers, self) Things (books, computers)

Purpose—fills the gap between what is understood and what needs to be understood

How can this gap be closed?

Affective Processes effort motivation engagement

Cognitive Processes restructuring confirming correctness indicating more information is available or needed indicating alternative strategies to understand

information

Some types of feedback are more powerful Most powerful—involving students who

received information about a task and how to do it more effectively.

Least powerful—praise, rewards, punishment

Why might extrinsic rewards yield a lower effect size?

See p. 84

Read the excerpt

The last paragraph on p. 84 that continues over to 85-86

The authors review Kluger and Denisi (1996) In it they indicate that “the power of feedback

is influenced by the direction of the feedback relative to performance on a task”

What does this mean to you? Think (30 sec); Pair (1 min); Share

How feedback works

If we want increased “effort” and more “responsibility” then…

…the intended goal (aka learning target) needs to be: Clear; Highly committed to; Student belief that success is within reach

The teacher’s role:Reduce the discrepancy between current and desired understanding by engineering a different kind of learning environment

Reducing the Discrepancy

Engineer an environment whereby Attribution is: Internal and; Unstable

This is done by creating a learning environment in which students develop self-regulation and error detection skills

Dylan Wiliam’s Aspects of Formative AssessmentWhere the

learner is going Where the learner is How to get there

TeacherClarify and share

learning intentions

Engineering effective

discussions, tasks and activities that elicit evidence of

learning

Providing feedback that moves

learners forward

PeerUnderstand and share learning

intentions

Activating students as learningresources for one another

LearnerUnderstand

learning intentions

Activating students as ownersof their own learning

How can teachers assist?

Provide challenging and specific goals

Specificity can be obtained through the use of exemplars and student generated rubrics

Specific goals focus students’ attention Specific goals make the feedback more

directed Specific goals allow for more direct criteria for

success

Hattie & Timperley’s Feedback Model

What is the goal? (where am I going)

What progress am I making? (How am I going)

What do I need to do in order to make better progress? (Where to next)

Where Am I Going?

The learning goals relative to the task or performance Involve 2 dimensions:

Challenge Commitment

Goals relate to feedback in that: They inform individuals so they can evaluate their

actions and adjust The feedback provides information so that students

can close the gap

Can student goal setting help teachers deal with the different skill levels of students within a class?

How Am I Going?

Tells the student (and teacher) what progress is being made

This kind of feedback gives: Information about progress and; How to proceed

Where to Next?

The answer shouldn’t be “more”

These could include: Enhanced challenges Additional self-regulation Greater fluency/automaticity More strategies Deeper understanding

Could this kind of feedback help teachers deal with the different skill levels of students within a class?

The 4 Levels of Feedback

1. Feedback about the task or product (FT) Correct or incorrect— “You left out an important

detail that will help your summary make more sense”

2. Feedback about the process (FP) Underlying methods used to help the student

improve— “Including more descriptive language will help others develop a better picture”

3. Feedback about self-regulation (FR) Self checks on criteria in alignment with the

exemplar— “Look at the rubric and determine if you have met all the quality components”

4. Feedback directed at self (FS) Great job

Group Work

Divide into 3 groups. Each group will explain 1 kind of feedback and provide examples to your colleagues

Group A—Feedback About Task (FT) Group B—Feedback About Self-Regulation (FR) Group C—Feedback About Self as a Person (FS)