What is your definition of descriptive feedback? 1

What is descriptive feedback? Focuses on providing information to the student with the goal of improving what is being addressed. Allows the student to adjust and revise their thinking. It is conversational, less formal and is not judgmental or evaluative. Feedback is ongoing and cyclical. It describes to the student where they are in comparison to where they need to be. It also provides a road map of how to get to the desired goal. Students should be able to see their own progress

Assessment FOR Learning has 3 major components: How can we provide assessment experiences for students that will start them on an “upward spiral?” Assessment FOR Learning has 3 major components: Accurate Information Descriptive Feedback Student Involvement

Effective Descriptive Feedback Should be specific to how to improve performance Should be timely Should be relevant to the student and their goals Should be clear and concise

Feedback CONTENT can be EFFECTIVE or INEFFECTIVE: Ineffective Descriptive Feedback Irrelevant General Delayed Overwhelming

Utilizing Descriptive Feedback in Science: Science notebooks Homework assignments Science Projects (Ongoing) Essential Lab Reports Research Papers Performance Task Items Presentations

Effective vs. Ineffective? you be the judge In front of you there are two writing pieces I want you to evaluate the effectiveness of the feedback of both pieces Share what you find to be effective or ineffective about each. I’ll give you a few minutes to look over each. SEE Feedback sheets for guidance.

Descriptive Feedback Sample 1: “I love the chart that starts with trees and ends up at the recycling plant (instead of back at more trees). It follows the relevant section of your report and illustrates the complete cycle so clearly! How did you come up with that idea? “ Effective Descriptive Feedback Focus Comparison Function Valence (positive) Clarity Specificity Tone

Descriptive Feedback Sample 2: Ineffective Descriptive Feedback “Your report was the shortest one in the class. You didn’t put enough in it. “ Focus Comparison Function Valence (positive) Clarity Specificity Tone

Effective Descriptive Feedback addresses both cognitive and motivational factors. Cognitive factors: Corrective feedback gives specific information students can use. It focuses on their strengths and ways to improve. Motivational factors: Once the students feel they understand what to do and why, a sense of control is developed.

Effectiveness of providing feedback Category Average Effect Size % Gain # of Studies Identifying Similarities & Differences 1.61 45 31 Summarizing & Note-Taking 1.00 34 179 Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition .80 29 21 Homework & Practice .77 28 134 Nonlinguistic Representation .75 27 246 Cooperative Learning .73 122 Setting Objectives & Providing Feedback .61 23 408 Generating & Testing Hypotheses 63 Cues, Questions, & Advance Organizers .59 22 1251 Trainer Directions: Remind the participants that this table displays the effect sizes and corresponding percentile change in student achievement for the 9 CITW strategy categories. Effect size of 1 usually means a one grade level increase.

Which group of students has been motivated for success?

So, how can we give descriptive feedback that is informational as well as motivational?

Descriptive Feedback Strategies

Descriptive Feedback Strategy #1 Model both giving and using feedback: Use think-aloud activities so students see how revisions are made and why Create a classroom environment where feedback is expected and “mistakes” are recognized as opportunities for learning Provide feedback PRIOR to providing the grade

Descriptive Feedback Strategy #2 Be clear about the learning target and the criteria for good work: Use assignments with obvious value and interest Explain to the student why an assignment is given; set a relevant purpose for the work Make directions clear Utilize student friendly rubrics Have students develop their own rubrics or translate yours into student friendly language if appropriate Design lessons that incorporate using the rubrics as students work

Descriptive Feedback Strategy #3 Teach students self and peer assessment skills. This will: Teach students where feedback comes from Increase students’ interest in feedback by helping them to ‘own’ it and track it themselves Answer students’ own questions Develop self-regulation skills, necessary for using any feedback

Students can use tools to help determine and track their own data and feedback.

Descriptive Feedback Strategy #4 Design lessons in which students use feedback on previous work to produce better work: Provide opportunities to redo assignments Give new but similar assignments for the same learning targets Give opportunities for students to make the connections between the feedback they received and the improvement of their work

How will you know if your feedback was effective? Your students learn; their work improves. Your students become more motivated; they believe they can learn, want to learn and take more control over their own learning. Your classroom becomes a place where feedback is valued and viewed as productive.

Descriptive Feedback Starter Stems

APPLICATION Let’s review some student work: Review the item sample, sample answer, student response and provide feedback . Compare your feedback to that of the State. 22

Note: Even though performance task items will not be assessed on the 2010-2011 FCAT, they are a critical component of instruction. They assist teachers in understanding a student’s ability to think critically and they prepare students for rigorous question items . DOK level 3 is 25% of the test

Activity: Look at the student sample. What type of corrective feedback would you give this student so that they can improve their response.

The State’s Descriptive Feedback Did your Descriptive feedback address these weaknesses?

In closing descriptive feedback: Finding/Creating Rubrics: http://rubistar.4teachers.org

Tutorial and Enrichment Mini-Assessments provide the information on how well your students understand a particular benchmark that you have just taught. The assessments tell you if your students understand/do not understand the benchmark. Try to avoid any negative connotations with the word “tutorial” – tutorial and enrichment activities could be called Team Time, Principal’s Period, Power Hour… Act

Tutorial and Enrichment: Purpose Provide additional instruction for students who do not demonstrate mastery on the assessments. Provide instruction that provides accelerated learning experiences to students through access to more challenging content, new concepts, and higher order thinking strategies.

APPLICATION The ACT section of FCIM indicates that you will implement tutorials and enrichment based on data. In your small group: In pairs, indicate what type of extended learning opportunities you would provide for the sample student provided (Place that child activity). Act