The area I think I have developed the greatest interest, in terms of reading and research, has been marking and assessment. The more I learn, the more I think I took for granted and assumed about my marking and feedback. Making sure that every comment, point, tick or symbol was not only useful but informative. There is also then the tricky balance of praise and progress. No-one (or perhaps it is just me!) really likes being told what isn't great and needs improving, even if that actually helps you, it can still sting.
If we consider that students could have 4-5 other classes in a day that is potentially a lot of constructive comments and structured progress and development! Whilst it is extremely useful and supports/structures progress it could get draining and demoralising for students, particularly those that already have lower self-esteem. That is why it is crucial to structure progress comments
- in a clear manner that won't confuse the message or your aims
- in a positive way, to ensure not only that students engage with the feedback but that they feel confident about their ability to progress in the subject
- linking to a specific area; be that use of evidence, spelling or ability to explain an argument for example
- if possible including a question (more about this in a minute)
I've found including a question as part of my feedback has been beneficial, it provides a clear and defined task as part of the feedback as well as directing focus to a specific area. Next blog post will focus on how praise is used in marking and feedback.
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