Did you know that one of the BIGGEST PAYOFF instructional strategies in terms of improving student achievement is the use of DESCRIPTIVE FEEDBACK?

Studies show that when used consistently, feedback can make a difference of approx. 30%iles (compared to classrooms NOT using this strategy) [Marzano, 2007].


Definition: providing descriptive feedback means communicating to students where they are doing well and where they need improvement.

Why Descriptive Feedback?
• The purpose of descriptive feedback is to provide opportunities for the learner to make adjustments and improvements toward mastery of a specified standard.

Key Implication for Instruction and Assessment:
Students must be given the opportunity to apply the feedback by trying again

Want to learn more about this strategy?
Read Feedback: How Learning Occurs by Grant Wiggins for an excellent introduction! [http://www.authenticeducation.org/bigideas/article.lasso?artId=61 ]
(The quotes below come from Wiggins' article.)

Study Island helps students receive descriptive feedback by:
1) Providing detailed explanations for all questions that show not only the answer but also, how to reason and think in order to find the answer; this “provides for opportunities for the learner to make adjustments and improvements toward mastery of a specified standard” and “comes from the activity itself.” Study Island allows students to “receive feedback from the performance itself” then provides “other timely chances to act on the feedback.”

2) Allowing students to go through missed questions at the end of a session and after they have checked out the explanations; this gives students “the opportunity to apply the feedback by trying again.” This unique Study Island feature provides “the attempts and adjustments by the learner to perform that cause accomplishment.”

3) Providing teachers the opportunity to drill down in student assignments to view the questions they missed with the further opportunity to then bring students up individually or in small groups to provide feedback and another chance at answering the questions; this provides the opportunity for teachers “to provide specific and useful information that students need in order to master worthy performances.” Study Island provides reports that yield a prioritized ranking of where each individual student stands in their mastery of the standards for which they will be assessed this year; this precise reporting allows teachers to “provide for individual, targeted, specific feedback to each student” and to provide for differentiated instruction.

4) Keeping students (and teachers) focused on their required standards by posting and linking all question topics directly to Kentucky Core Content standards; this provides students and teachers exact wording to “describe what the learner did and did not do in relation to her goals”; this “is actionable information, and it empowers the student to make intelligent adjustments”.

5) Immediately displaying the student score, both current session and previous sessions on the same topic; and displaying an overall scorecard after each session to provide immediate feedback to let a student determine “what did I do that worked and what did I do that didn’t work and why? Then: how can I improve?” Study Island then provides students the opportunity to do another session on the same topic in order to show improvement.


Here’s some more research data about Descriptive Feedback:
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/summerworkshop/searl/edlite-slide005.html
Why Descriptive Feedback?
The purpose of descriptive feedback is to provide opportunities for the learner to make adjustments and improvements toward mastery of a specified standard.
What is Descriptive Feedback?
Specific
Relates directly to the learning
Comparison to models, samples, exemplars
Related to performance, not personal
(adapted from Davies, 2000)
What does the research say?
• Clear, concise feedback matched to standards will promote student achievement. (O’Connor 2002)
• Feedback generally produces positive results if teachers manage the form the feedback takes. (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollack 2001)
• Specific, descriptive feedback that focuses on success and points the way to improvement has a positive effect. (Davies 2002)
• Students must be given the opportunity to apply the feedback by trying again. (Black & Wiliam 1998)

Question
If descriptive feedback helps students make adjustments to learning in order to improve, what are the implications for instruction and assessment?

What does the research say?
Students must be given the opportunity to apply the feedback by trying again.
(Black & Wiliam 1998)
• Assessments are formative when teachers compare students’ actual and reference levels and then use the information to help students move closer to the standard
• Provide students with opportunities to practice getting closer to the target
• Provide teachers with opportunities to give descriptive feedback

Classroom Implications—Where to begin?
Begin at the end!
What product are you looking for?
What are the grade level standards?
Where are your students in relation to the standard?

References• Black, P., Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80 (2), 139-149.
• Davies, A. (2000). Making Classroom Assessment Work. Courtenay: Connections Publishing
• Marzano, R., Pickering, J., Pollock, D., (2001). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria: ASCD
• O’Connor, K. (2002). How to Grade for Learning. Glenview: Pearson
• Saphier, J., Gower, R. (1997). The Skillful Teacher. Acton: Research for Better Teaching, Inc.