Effective Feedback and E Assessment School Based Assessment and Reporting Unit Curriculum K-12 Directorate NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way © State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, All rights reserved.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Overview Effective feedback Digital possibilities

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way DET Advice The new policy reinforces the importance of teacher comments in the written report. Parents have indicated consistently how highly they value written comments by their childs teacher. The comments need to be in plain English and show student strengths and areas for further improvement.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Curriculum Corporation If our aim is to improve student performance, not just measure it, we must ensure that students know the performances expected of them, the standards against which they will be judged, and have opportunities to learn from the assessment in future assessments. Grant Wiggins 2002

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Prof John Hattie (Uni Auckland): Meta-analysis of over 50,000 studies Major sources of variance in student achievement: Student: accounts for 50% of variance in student achievement Home: 5-10% School: 5-10% (principals, other leaders an influence) Peer Effects: 5-10% Teachers: 30% It is what teachers know, do, and care about which is very powerful in this learning equation. Reference: Hattie, J. (2003). Teachers Make a Difference: What is the Research Evidence?, difference.php difference.php Research Evidence

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way InfluenceEffect Size Feedback.72 Teacher-student relationships.72 Prior achievement.73 Reciprocal teaching.74 Quality of teaching.77 Classroom behavioural.80 Absence of disruptive students.86 Self-report grades1.44 Student Achievement – Steve Dinham ACER

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way The teacher and the quality of his or her teaching are major influences on student achievement, along with the individual student and his or her prior achievement (all have large effect sizes). School-based influences (beyond the classroom) have weaker effects on student achievement. Structural and organisational arrangements (open vs traditional classrooms; multi-age vs age graded classes; ability grouping; gender; class size; mainstreaming) have negligible or small effects on student learning. It is the quality of teaching that occurs within these structural arrangements which is important. Effect Size Research: Key Points Steve Dinham ACER

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Examples of active teaching (reciprocal teaching; feedback; teaching self-verbalisation; meta-cognition strategies; direct instruction; mastery learning; testing) have large to moderate effects on student achievement. Effect sizes are negligible or small for facilitory teaching (simulations and games; inquiry-based teaching; individualised instruction; problem-based learning; differentiated teaching for boys and girls; web-based learning; whole language reading; inductive teaching). Strategies to promote and remediate literacy figure prominently in Hatties full list. Literacy is the foundation of student achievement. Effect Size Research: Key Points Steve Dinham ACER

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way What is feedback? Feedback is information about how we have performed in relation to a stated goal Feedback tells us what did or did not happen: - You were aware of where other players were positioned and made use of that knowledge when you had to dispose of the ball Curriculum Corporation

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way What is effective feedback? Effective feedback provides: Information about what happened or was done An evaluation of how well or otherwise the action or task was performed Guidance as to how performance can be improved Curriculum Corporation

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way An example of effective feedback You were clearly aware of where other players were positioned because you were consistently looking around you, and you made very good use of that knowledge when you had to dispose of the ball. You made sure that you selected a player who was free of an opponent or in a good position from which she could shoot for goal. Sometimes, though, your disposal was not accurate and the other player missed the ball. At training tomorrow we will do some drills to focus on improving ball disposal. Curriculum Corporation

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way This feedback: Describes what happened – the player had the ball, looked around to see who was in a good position to receive it and then disposed of it, but on occasions failed to do so accurately. Provides an evaluation – the player was clearly aware, made very good use of her knowledge about where players were positioned, selected an appropriate player to pass the ball to, but disposal was not always accurate. Provides guidance about how performance could be improved in the future – drills to focus on improving ball disposal.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way The four questions of Students: 1.What can I do? 2.What cant I do? 3.How does my work compare with that of others? 4.How can I do better? Feedback – Steve Dinham ACER

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way When asked to provide evidence and guidance on enhancing the quality of teaching and student performance, Im usually equivocal about advocating quick fixes … In the case of feedback, however, Im prepared to state categorically that if you focus on providing students with improved, quality feedback in individual classrooms, departments and schools youll have an almost immediate positive effect. The research evidence is clear: great teachers give great feedback, and every teacher is capable of giving more effective feedback. (Dinham, Feedback on Feedback, 2008). Feedback Steve Dinham ACER

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way G. Nuthall (2007). The Hidden Lives of Learners. Wellington: NZCER. 80% of feedback students receive about their work in primary school comes from other students 80% of this student-student feedback is incorrect. What Sort of Feedback?

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Begin a professional conversation about feedback by asking eight questions: 1.What are our present approaches – formal and informal – to student feedback? Conduct an audit. 2.Are our assessment methods and criteria clear, valid and reliable? Identify the links between assessment and feedback. 3.Do our students understand what is meant by feedback? 4.Is the feedback our students receive infrequent, unfocused, unhelpful, inconsistent or negative? OR Some Questions to Ask Steve Dinham ACER

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way 5.Is the feedback we provide focused, comprehensive, consistent and improvement oriented, addressing the four key questions raised above? (especially How can I do better?) 6.How does the feedback our students receive relate to parental feedback through reports, interviews and parent nights? Is feedback to students and parents consistent? 7.How can we provide our students with improved feedback? 8.How will we know if it works? What evidence will we need? The answers to these questions will provide an important foundation for improving the quality of teaching and student achievement in our schools. However, feedback is only one part of the equation. It is not a substitute or remedy for poor teaching. Some Questions to Ask

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Step 1 INFORMATION about what happened or was done Step 2 An EVALUATION of how well or otherwise the action or task was performed Step 3 GUIDANCE as to how the performance can be improved

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Effective feedback and Technology

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Digital Education Revolution The aspirational goals of the Digital Education Revolution are: Teachers devise student centric programs of learning that address agreed curriculum standards and employ contemporary learning resources and activities Students engaged in rigorous and stimulating programs of learning that meet their individual needs and prepare them for success in 21st century Students and teachers routinely collaborate, build and share knowledge using digital technologies – blogs, file sharing, social networking, videoconferencing, etc. Students and teachers are able to innovate in their use of ICT to achieve learning outcomes

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Ask Yourself These Questions how well technology enhances student learning? how well technology can be used to assess and report out on student learning ?

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way How can teachers incorporate this in the Digital Education Revolution? Beginning thoughts and questions. What is different about assessment with the Digital Education Revolution? What remains the same? What are the positives of E Assessment in Teaching and Learning? What issues will I face in a school / faculty setting?

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Software applications A full list of the software applications available on the student laptops can be accessed at:

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way The digital education revolution offers new and exciting possibilities for effective feedback and quality assessment. An integral aspect of all teaching and learning activities is the process of Assessment for Learning – ascertaining what students can do to inform ongoing teaching and learning activities. A significant aspect of this process is giving students effective feedback. Research has shown the value of effective teacher feedback in improving student learning outcomes whether we are using technology or more traditional forms of assessment. How can teachers and students incorporate this in the Digital Education Revolution ?

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Adobe Acrobat Professional ApplicationFeedback Possibilities 1.Adobe Acrobat Professional allows for the generation of student work either individually or as groups as PDF files Teachers can use the commenting and text editing tools to provide feedback on student work. Other students can also peer assess work and make comments. Collection of PDF files of submitted work can be used by teachers to archive examples of student work to model achievement standards to students in future years. Further information and training opportunities on Adobe Acrobat Professional applications can be accessed on the TaLE website at: ge/share_school.jsp and at:

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Pdf documents can be shared for reviewed and comments made using a variety of editing tools

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Sticky Note Text Edit Stamp Highlight Text Call out box Text Box Drawing Tools

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Captivate 4 ApplicationFeedback Possibilities 1.The Adobe Creativity Suite allows for the use of Captivate 4. This function allows for the generation of multiple ELearning content including interactivity with work submitted by students. Captivate 4 allows teachers to comment directly on student work using the keyboard or drawing tool, and film it with a voice commentary as a Flash movie. Further information and training opportunities on the Adobe Creativity Suite and Captivate 4 applications can be accessed on the TaLE website at: exchange/share_school.jsp and at:

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Captivate 4 Students can accept or reject suggestions made

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Microsoft Office 2007 ApplicationFeedback Possibilities 1.Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 – Productivity Suite includes a number of programs including Word, Excel and One Note among others. Using the Track Changes function and /or Add Comment teachers can provide feedback and comments on work at different points in the Teaching and Learning cycle. Voice comments can also be added at any point in documents or added to marking sheets or rubrics. Students can subsequently redraft and improve work using the ongoing commentary and suggestions for improvement. Earlier drafts can be saved as a record of student progress toward a finished product. Peer reviews of work can also be used in this respect. Further information and training opportunities on Microsoft Offfice Enterprise 2007 applications can be accessed on the TaLE website at: school.jsp and at: au/suites/FX aspx?ofcresset=1

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Microsoft Office 2007

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Creativity Suite 4 ApplicationFeedback Possibilities 1.Photoshop Elements, Premiere Elements and Flash CS4 are part of the Creativity Suite 4. They allow for, among other things, the generation of photos, still images, animations and movies Students can film or photograph their own process, task or performance for feedback from teachers or peers. Teachers can document and comment on quality work samples and provide direction on areas of success or otherwise to class groups. A significant indicator of improved student achievement in assessment tasks is students knowing what quality achievement looks like. Further information and training opportunities on Creativity Suite 4 applications including Photoshop, Premier Elements and Flash CS4 can be accessed on the TaLE website at: e/share_school.jsp and at:

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way E Portfolios ApplicationFeedback Possibilities 1.Development of E Portfolios both as product and process to document student learning journeys has significant potential with technology. The One Note program has great possibilities in this area. E portfolios can allow for the aggregation of digital artefacts by students in relation to a task ( web links, video clips, podcasts, written responses, etc), they can also allow for evidence of growth over time. Students can generate these portfolios for distribution both on and offline. The portfolios can be reviewed at different points and feedback given by teachers and peers. There are plenty of opportunities for self assessment, in terms of reflective artefacts. Parents can easily be involved in this process. Further information and training opportunities on One Note can be accessed on the TaLE website at: _school.jsp and at:

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way E Portfolios – Microsoft One Note

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Wikis and Blogs ApplicationFeedback Possibilities 1.Creation of Wikis and BlogsThe generation of a Wiki or Blog allows for both reflection and commentary by peers on work and issues arising. Students are able to, for example, post queries on a particular aspect of an assignment which is commented upon by peer groups using typically student friendly language. Wikis can be utilised for group constructions which teachers can then both monitor in an ongoing manner and supply feedback. On line discourse may also be useful in promoting peer commentary for those students who are reluctant to engage in classroom discussion. A practical discussion of how blogs may be used in a school setting is available in the SCAN issue Scan Vol 27 No2 May In this article the potential for blogs is examined in a NSW public school.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Blogs

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Wikis

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way ApplicationFeedback Possibilities 1. is an important way for students to communicate with teachers about their work. is a private space and well suited to support students who are less inclined to share their work or ask for assistance.

NSW Department of Education & Training NSW Public Schools – Leading the Way Discussion Contact Ric Cilona Curriculum Directorate