Providing Constructive Feedback in Teaching
Of the 150 influences on achievement John Hattie notes in Visible Learning for Teachers, feedback ranks tenth with an effect size (ES) of 0.75. As a reminder, Hattie found that an effect size of 0.40 is the hinge point wherein the practice has a greater-than-average impact for one academic year. This means a practice with an ES of 0.75 is worth pursuing and developing.
In this blog post on providing feedback, I write about when and why to give feedback and what we should include in our feedback so it’s helpful in student learning.
Three of the keys to effective feedback are:
- It is anchored to the intended learning;
- It is offered during the learning process while there is time to act on it;
- And that it provides concrete, specific, understandable, and usable steps for improvement.
How does the JumpRope software support you in this process?
As seen in the screenshot, “Gradebook view” below, within the JumpRope software, the learning target is explicitly stated, and the various rigor levels are defined. This feature helps teachers note student progress and learning through selecting the rigor level that best describes the student’s work, and it also provides a spot for the teacher to offer narrative feedback just below the score.
The narrative feedback can directly address the target and rigor level attained and provide concrete steps toward improvement. An added bonus is that the feedback written here also appears in the family portal, as seen in the second screenshot, “Family portal view.”
JumpRope software simplifies the practice of providing learners with the type of feedback John Hattie encourages us to aim for. The software also provides easy access to the feedback so learners and their families can effectively act on it.
For more information on how to establish and define rigor levels like those seen here, check out our series on rubrics:
- Rubrics: Part 1, The “Why” and “How To”
- Rubrics: Part 2, Validity
- Rubrics: Part 3, Transparency
- Rubrics: Part 4, Reliability
If you’d like to learn more about how JumpRope can help you in the feedback process, reach out today for a discussion.
