Chapter+Summary


 * Chapter 4 Summary: Providing Feedback **

 In Chapter 4, Pitler et al. (2007) discusses how providing students with formative assessment feedback about particular learning goals significantly increases their opportunities to improve their practice and mastery. The authors refer to McREL’s research to establish four generalizations:  In addition, they provide three recommendations. The authors go on to state //immediate// feedback during the learning process is most effective, and technology helps not only teachers but multiple reviewers provide this necessary support almost instantaneously. They identify the technology resources as word processing applications, data collection tools, Web resources, and communication software.  In Microsoft Word, Pitler et al. (2007) recommends having students use the **Track Changes** and **Insert Comments** features to “give and gather student-led feedback” (p. 42) and the **Flesch-Kincaid Readability Scale** and the built-in thesaurus in Microsoft Word to work on word choice and variation, stating these options “help students approach the feedback and revision process as an engaging, game-like challenge” (p. 44). The features are located in the Review menu of Microsoft Word 2010 and the View menu in previous versions. To get to the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Scale click on “Spelling & Grammar” and then “Options”.  The authors acknowledge the monumental challenge for a single teacher of providing every student in all their classes with immediate feedback, and they suggest investing in classroom response systems and grading software, citing specific options. They explain classroom response systems use a multiple choice format, which can reflect all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and have students use “clickers” to collect their answers. Pitler et al. (2007) points out this method helps students overcome the anxiety of “looking stupid” or the likelihood they will select a response based on their peers’ answers. This method also provides teachers with reports that help guide their instructional choices. In addition, the authors discuss grading software like [|MyAccess!] that evaluates student essays and projects and can help improve students’ skills and increase their time devoted to their learning.  Pitler et al. (2007) explains online quizzes, games, and simulations emphasize the 21st- century skills of problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking and give students immediate feedback in an entertaining way that they can repeat as many times as they need to practice for mastery of a skill. They provide a number of online resources for math and a couple, like [|BBC Skillswise] that cater to multiple subjects.  The authors state, “Communication software, such as blogs, wikis, e-mail, instant messaging (IM), and video conferencing, can provide timely, interactive, and criterion-based feedback to students” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 53). They suggest students should be taught their school district’s acceptable use policy and go on to discuss how to use each kind, pointing out teachers can allow only certain users and monitor student contributions.
 * __Generalizations __**
 * 1) **Feedback should be corrective in nature. **
 * 2) **Feedback should be timely. **
 * 3) **Feedback should be specific to a criterion. **
 * 4) **Students can effectively provide some of their own feedback. **
 * __Recommendations __**
 * 1) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Use criterion-referenced feedback. **
 * 2) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Focus feedback on specific types of knowledge. **
 * 3) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Use student-led feedback. **
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Word Processing Applications __**
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Data Collection Tools __**
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Web Resources __**
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Communication Software __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn, & M., Malenoski. (2007). Providing Feedback. In //Using// //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> (41-58). Alexandria, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.