Descriptive and Corrective FeedbackMiami Jackson Senior High

December 12, 2011

How can we provide students with feedback on their work that will start them on an “upward spiral?”

Feedback FOR Learning has 3 major components:• Accurate Information• Descriptive Feedback • Student Involvement

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What is descriptive feedback?

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.

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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

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Feedback CONTENT can be EFFECTIVE or INEFFECTIVE:

• Ineffective Descriptive Feedback – Irrelevant– General– Delayed– Overwhelming

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Utilizing Descriptive Feedback in Science:

• Science notebooks• Homework assignments• Science Projects (Ongoing)• Reports• Research Papers• Performance Task Items• Presentations

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Effective vs. Ineffective? you be the judge

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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? “

FocusClaritySpecificityToneEffective Descriptive Feedback

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Descriptive Feedback Sample 2:

“Your report was the shortest one in the class. You didn’t put enough in it. “

FocusClaritySpecificityToneIneffective Descriptive Feedback

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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.

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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 27 122

Providing Feedback .61 23 408

Generating & Testing Hypotheses .61 23 63

Cues, Questions, & Advance Organizers .59 22 1251

Effectiveness of providing feedback

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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.

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

motivational?

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Descriptive Feedback Strategies

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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 grade05/03/23 16

Descriptive Feedback Strategy #2

Be clear about the learning target and the criteria for good work:• 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

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Descriptive Feedback Strategy #3

• Teach students self and peer assessment skills.• Teach students to use tools to help determine and track

their own data and feedback• Develop self-regulation skills necessary for using

any feedback

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

HOW CLOSE AM I TO MY TARGET?

SUBJ ECT:Date: Date: Date:

Date: Date: Date:

100%

100% 100%

80%

100% 100%

80% 80%

80% 80%

80%

100%

Data-Feedback-Strategy Method in the CLASSROOM / STUDENT

Name: Subject: Date: Assessment:

Question f or Simple More I am good at:# CORRECT Mistake Study1234567 To avoid simple mistakes, I must:89101112131415 To improve my skill(s), I plan to:1617181920212223 I am not sure how to learn:24252627282930

Total # CORRECT: My Score/ Grade:DFSM/C- 2a05/03/23 19

Descriptive FeedbackStrategy #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

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Descriptive Feedback Starter Stems

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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.

PDCA Instructional Cycle

PLAN

ACT

DO

CHECK

• Data Disaggregation• Calendar Development

• Direct InstructionalFocus

• Tutorials• Enrichment

• Assessment• Maintenance• Monitoring

PDCA Instructional Cycle

PLAN

ACT

DO

CHECK

• Data Disaggregation• Calendar Development

• Direct InstructionalFocus

• Tutorials• Enrichment

• Assessment• Maintenance• Monitoring

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APPLICATIONAPPLICATION

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Activity:

• Look at the student sample.

• What type of corrective feedback would you give this student so that they can improve their response.

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The State’s Descriptive Feedback

Did your Descriptive feedback address these weaknesses?

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Finding/Creating Rubrics:http://rubistar.4teachers.org

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