1. by Yun-Pi Yuan Eng. Dept., Fu Jen Univ. April 8, 2009 Student Responses to Teacher Feedback

2. Introduction Introduction Purpose of the Study Purpose of the Study Data Collection Data Collection Findings Findings Positive Feedback Positive Feedback Negative feedback Negative feedback Conclusion Conclusion Outline Yun-Pi Yuan 2

3. Teacher feedback: Teacher feedback: – consciously – unconsciously Format of teacher feedback: Format of teacher feedback: – written – spoken Importance of teacher feedback: Importance of teacher feedback: – a very important role in student learning – also part of teacher-student communication and interaction Introduction (1) Yun-Pi Yuan 3

4. Introduction (2) Possible impact of teacher feedback on Ss: Possible impact of teacher feedback on Ss: – positive feedback: may motivate students and reinforce their learning and often promote autonomous learning – negative (or even offensive) feedback: may be detrimental to student learning Yun-Pi Yuan 4

5. Purpose of the Study Examine teacher comments from the perspective of students Examine teacher comments from the perspective of students – How students respond to teacher comments – Problems inherent in teacher feedback – Impact of teacher feedback on Ss and their learning Bring to teacher awareness and thus more effective feedback can be provided Bring to teacher awareness and thus more effective feedback can be provided Yun-Pi Yuan 5

6. Questionnaires (anonymous): Questionnaires (anonymous): – hard copies: in some cc classes – electronic files: to all students Subjects: Subjects: – 31 students of the Eng. Dept., Fu Jen University – Courses involved: Composition & Conversation, Reading, Speech, etc. Mostly about written feedback Mostly about written feedback Data Collection Yun-Pi Yuan 6

7. Findings Positive feedback: 8 Negative feedback: 11 Invalid: 12 Yun-Pi Yuan 7

8. Positive Feedback (1) Positive Feedback Language Content Interpersonal Yun-Pi Yuan 8 Organization ( e.g., sequence, transition ) Other (e.g., pre- writing skills, topic sentence, etc.).

9. Interpersonal Interpersonal Language Language Content-focused Content-focused Organization (e.g., sequence, transition) Organization (e.g., sequence, transition) Other (e.g., pre-writing skills, topic sentence, etc.) Other (e.g., pre-writing skills, topic sentence, etc.) Positive Feedback (2) Develop a friendly relationship with students Praise Express agreement Experience sharing Spot grammatical errors with elucidation Collocation Sentence construction Word usage Spot grammatical errors with elucidation Collocation Sentence construction Word usage Comments on thoughts and idea flow Cited references Clear direction Comments on thoughts and idea flow Cited references Clear direction Yun-Pi Yuan 9 Have topic sentences and they are good transitions

10. Feeling motivated to do further improvement Feeling motivated to do further improvement Appreciating teachers effort in correction and instruction Appreciating teachers effort in correction and instruction Feeling their performance appreciated and effort rewarded and respected Feeling their performance appreciated and effort rewarded and respected Gaining confidence Gaining confidence Feeling happy and a sense of fulfillment Feeling happy and a sense of fulfillment Actively participating in self-learning and autonomous learning to meet teachers expectations Actively participating in self-learning and autonomous learning to meet teachers expectations Devoting more time and attention to revision Devoting more time and attention to revision Student Responses to Positive Feedback & the Impact Yun-Pi Yuan 10

11. Negative Feedback (1) Negative Feedback Unclear Comments Same Comments Subjective Comments No Comment or Grade Yun-Pi Yuan 11 Personal Attack Trivial Errors Teacher Mistake

12. Unclear comments Unclear comments No comment or grade No comment or grade Same comments Same comments Subjective comments Subjective comments Subjective comments Subjective comments Personal attack Personal attack Personal attack Personal attack Trivial errors Trivial errors Teacher mistakes Teacher mistakes Teacher mistakes Teacher mistakes Negative Feedback (2) I cannot see your point if theres any I dont understand. Much better ( the 2 nd draft) Lead to misinterpretation. Only a big X or ? (no other explanation) So, could you please tell me why you choose this topic? I cannot see your point if theres any I dont understand. Much better ( the 2 nd draft) Lead to misinterpretation. Only a big X or ? (no other explanation) So, could you please tell me why you choose this topic? Yun-Pi Yuan 12 It's interesting." "It's impressive, etc.

13. Feeling hurt/belittled and not taking the class seriously Feeling hurt/belittled and not taking the class seriously Becoming inattentive in class or not studying hard Becoming inattentive in class or not studying hard Being impervious to other following feedback Being impervious to other following feedback Losing confidence & no motivation to write a good paper Losing confidence & no motivation to write a good paper Never asking any question to the teacher Never asking any question to the teacher Questioning ones Eng. ability Questioning ones Eng. ability Rejecting any more input from the teacher Rejecting any more input from the teacher Regarding revision as a waste of time and a game of word re-arrangement. Regarding revision as a waste of time and a game of word re-arrangement. Student Responses to Negative Feedback & the Impact Yun-Pi Yuan 13

14. Positive effective feedback can Positive effective feedback can - build a communication bridge between teachers and students. - build a communication bridge between teachers and students. - motivate students to make improvement. - motivate students to make improvement. - have a positive influence on not only students learning but also the shaping of their personality. - have a positive influence on not only students learning but also the shaping of their personality. Students have a high preference for multi-faced feedback: content, grammar (form), organization, and interpersonal relation. Students have a high preference for multi-faced feedback: content, grammar (form), organization, and interpersonal relation. Mode of Effective Feedback for Writing Mode of Effective Feedback for Writing Conclusion (1) Yun-Pi Yuan 14

15. Conclusion (2) Negative/offensive feedback can - decrease the students motivation for further learning and self-improvement. - get a negative impression of the teacher. - make the student feel impervious to the courses and the teachers teaching. - distort the students learning attitude so that autonomous learning may be not facilitated. - make input-absorption impossible. Yun-Pi Yuan 15

16. General Suggestions from Students: General Suggestions from Students: -Provide an introduction of certain marks/symbols which the teacher may use in correction. -Write legibly to help Ss understand written comments. -Avoid vague, ambiguous comments. -Grades are the main source from which students recognize their achievement. -Inconsistency in correction/feedback-giving (if there is a 2 nd draft) may negatively influence students trust for teachers. Conclusion (3) Yun-Pi Yuan 16

17. Conclusion (4) Plagiarism issue Is it only the students responsibility to ask teachers to clarify/explain their comments? If I had a question and do not know how to do it, asking the teacher would be my last option because I am afraid of being condemned. Yun-Pi Yuan 17

18. Thanks for your attention! Yun-Pi Yuan 18

19. Feedback on one journal: Feedback on one journal: It takes time and efforts to grow up and be independent. We all go through similar stages and were glad we can be of help in some palaces of your journey. Be strong and then you will be able to give others a hand when they have similar problems. In fact, you are never special or less brave. From our Monday class, you found there are many classmates showing similar stressful and difficult situations. Always keep in your mind- what you d reams are. It takes time and efforts to grow up and be independent. We all go through similar stages and were glad we can be of help in some palaces of your journey. Be strong and then you will be able to give others a hand when they have similar problems. In fact, you are never special or less brave. From our Monday class, you found there are many classmates showing similar stressful and difficult situations. Always keep in your mind- what you d reams are. Experience Sharing Yun-Pi Yuan 19

20. Mode of Effective Feedback for Writing Positive Positive Responses Praise for the content of the writing. Express agreement with the students' thoughts or perspectives Negative Negative Reponses Mark grammatical errors, illogic, sentence construction Direct students to any mistakes/errors that the students should circumvent making in writing. Postive2 Positive Responses 2 Tell students where they should make further improvement. Provide clear directions of how to make an improvement. Yun-Pi Yuan 20

21. [Extracted from a research paper] Example: Mode of Effective Feedback for Writing Yun-Pi Yuan 21

22. Personal Attack Speech presentation on Origin of Dinosaurs Extinction: The teacher told me that my whole speech was totally a lie and my speech was insulting her. She said that I was like deaf in her class. She felt that I had lost my connection with the outside world. She even criticized me that I was the kind of girls who shopped a lot but didnt know what I want. Yun-Pi Yuan 22

23. Teacher Mistakes Logic problem: Originally, I thought it was my problem but after thinking for a while, I still did not think my logic had any big problem. So I changed the words/expressions, but kept the original ideas and logic. It turned out that the professor passed the paper and didnt pick on my logic. Yun-Pi Yuan 23

24. Subjective (Offensive) Comments One of the classmates was against cohabitation (in the debate). She claims cohabitation increase the possibility of having sex; she was Christian. Our teacher responded, If it is a relationship, they would have sex. The students religious belief was being ignored. The teacher believes that sex is inevitable in relationships; even though most people do believe so, we should have been more careful when there was a religious issue involved. Yun-Pi Yuan 24