Feedback for learning A new approach to awaken

Feedback for learning A new approach to awaken students to the value of feedback Anne Mac. Nab, Professional Development Facilitator Confident Futures, Student and Academic Services Edinburgh Napier University

The Confident Futures initiative A programme of high quality personal development activities which will encourage students to develop the confidence, skills and attributes to take control of their own lives and learning, and position themselves as first choice with employers.

Feedback on my work has been prompt 2010 55% 2011 3% = 58% I have received detailed comments on my work 2010 55% 2011 7% = 62% Feedback on my work has helped me clarify things I did not understand 2010 53% 2011 7% = 60% • Sept 2010 – launch Edinburgh Napier’s 3 year “Feedback for Learning” campaign

“Making “Surely this has been done before. . over and over again? ” work for you”

Staff Response • Staff briefings in November 2011 resulted in 11 bookings for workshops integrated into academic modules across almost all Schools in the University in the first 8 weeks of term • UG and PG, > 350 students Student Response Q: How useful did you find this? ’very’ 67% Q: How much will this help you in your course? (1 low – 5 high) 79% rated ‘ 4’ or higher

Small grou ps Workbook page 2 • “Feedback . . . is the lifeblood of learning” Rowntree, D. (1982) • K Cross (1996) suggests that learning without feedback is like practising archery in the dark A lesson! At this point students can relate to sometimes putting more effort in for little improvement in performance Explain in your own words what you think these authors are trying to say.

“Making work for you”

Step 1: (Quality) feedback provided Why should I care? BARRIER Step 2: Improvement actions planned to personal ownership Step 3: Feedback actioned Feedback acknowledged Step 4: Performance improved Feedback understood But it hurts !

“Making work for you” Workshop Outline Part 1: Why should I care? Part 2: Understand the role of self-awareness of ability in learning - Consciousness Competence Model (Howell) - role of Feedback in developing competence Build a self motivated and proactive attitude to feedback - Fixed and Growth Mindset (Dweck) Part 3: But it hurts! Experience action planning from feedback - application to module feedback

Workshop Part 1: Understand the role of self-awareness of ability in learning - Consciousness Competence Model - role of Feedback within it

Workbook Write down 1 thing you. . . did yesterday page 5 . . . find challenging to do at work e. g. • made breakfast e. g. • presentations • answered emails • handling data • went to gym • managing meetings

Consciousness Competence Matrix A lesson! Students often cannot describe what ‘competence’ is. Competence Effort & ? Feedback 3 - Conscious Competence Conscious Ef Fe ? fort ed & ba ck Unconscious the person achieves 'conscious l competence' in aaskill when they ctfu s p i reliably r will, but can perform itm ee at ng s to p ing eri io conscious thought it still irequiresn nk el v D entat l Thi a pres ritic C 4 - Unconscious Competence the skill becomes so practised that it enters the unconscious Phone Used Mobile of the brain - it becomes parts 'second nature' Workbook pages 6, 7 & 8 Incompetence 2 - Conscious Incompetence t men of the u the person becomes aware arg ta existence and n arelevance ofathe ld ia ng skill, velopi and their relative low skill anc fin De level in it eting r E terp Fe ffor In ed? t & ba ck po s a tingrt nagininmee re Maructurg g St 1 – Unconscious Incompetence the person is not aware of the existence or relevance of the skill area OR Now map your workplace challenges (page 8) overestimates their ability level Adapted from WS Howell, 1982

“Making work for you” Workshop Outline Part 1: Understand the role of self-awareness of ability in learning - Conscious Incompetence Model - role of Feedback in developing competence Part 2: Build a self motivated and proactive attitude to feedback - Fixed and Growth Mindset (Dweck) c istan res e ignore n inactio upset

Workbook pages 10 14 Mindset makes a difference Harness the power!

The 2 Mindsets Fixed “the view you adopt of your ability to. . . ” Entity Believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talents instead of developing them. H Growth Incremental ave A lesson!you This applies come acro whether the ss these in student is ‘high’ or students? ‘low’ performing. Believe their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work - brains and talent are just the starting point. They spend their time seeking opportunities Dweck, C. S. (2006) to develop and improve.

FIXED Gives up easily GROWTH Perseveres • Ignore (potentially useful) feedback CRITICISM FEEDBACK • Feedback is opportunity to learn and improve • Intelligent people shouldn’t need to EFFORT • The way to success and achievement • Evidence of poor capability. SETBACKS • Avoid, in case of poor performance or failure • Threatened and demotivated by it • Necessary path to learning. CHALLENGES • SUCCESS Workbook of page 13 OTHERS Embrace, as opportunity to learn and improve • Inspired by and learns from them

Assessment back – disappointing results Thoughts (highperforming) (low performing) The lecturer Oh no – I knew I clearly doesn’t was no good. I understand finds hope no-one what I’m Doesn’t say out. trying to look and is going to do like I’m deliberately beingwell negative Fergus • Put essay away quickly • Avoid feedback / discussion • Loses confidence What might Fergus and Gemma THINK and DO ? (high performing) (low performing) Gemma Actions. . . ? Oh dear – that’s very shocking. I very frustrating. I need to quickly need to know understand where I went wrong Workbook page 15 • Reads feedback • Speaks to tutor • Asks ‘talented’ friend!

Fixed T % Growth %+ FEEDBACK

Step 1: (Quality) feedback provided Why should I care? BARRIER to personal ownership Feedback acknowledged Feedback understood Step 2: Improvement actions planned Step 3: Feedback actioned Step 4: Performance improved But it hurts !

“Making work for you” Workshop Outline Part 1: Understand the role of self-awareness of ability in learning - Conscious Incompetence Model - role of Feedback in developing competence Part 2: Build a self motivated and proactive attitude to feedback - Fixed and Growth Mindset (Dweck) Part 3: Experience action planning from feedback - application to module feedback exemplars

Three Routes to action planning A happy surprise! Students form peer support groups on similar topics A lesson! Students often cannot express what a piece of feedback means. 1. Exemplars 2. Personal previous assessment 3. ‘Live’ feedback Use poor / medium / high performing examples of feedback or feedforward from relevant topics Bring prior assessment - with comments and / or feedback summary Give out feedback (NOT grades) to recent assessment - with comments and / or feedback summary A lesson! Students sometimes struggle to identify an actual action Workbook page 17

EFL Supp ort M dr ule L od ls Aca kil ic S dem

PG Student comments 1 month (and 2 assessments) later. . “[The my ugh ses ro and u sion]. . rai d th t was ea nders ays r ully, bu tandin sed my con it to ng alw aref journ d fid ng g of th ey of “I ha back c pplyi t followi t” e [lea ence a writin rn g assi feed petent in eel tha spec gnme ing] f is re I om th nts” not c nments. ving in ro sig “[For Assignments 2 & 3] I ensured re as I am imp futu sion particular attention to areas that es this s were highlighted in assignment 1. Realised it was a learning process” ised by "[In ass cally surpr essmen iasti n. hus t 1]. . ra us move o. I was ent solely o “. . ther t h to help n the gr oac ade I al han focus sitive appr the po carefull so looke y at the d me. . . required lped areas th result he at to d first about h improvement, Yes - a goo at I’m here and tho ow they ctive th u could b the perspe iberating” but e worke ght. . . was l e risks) d on". n (and tak lear

Making Feedback Work for You - a new Confident Futures Workshop that awakens students to the value of feedback Anne Mac. Nab, Personal Development Facilitator Confident Futures, Student and Academic Services a. macnab@napier. ac. uk

Over to you. . Small grou In your groups please generate 2 key reflections from the session and write them onto your flipchart: 1. Feedback / ideas for Anne and Edinburgh Napier University 2. Any useful implications for TLA here at St Andrews University ps

Thank you for your time and attention References • Howell, W. S. (1982). The empathic communicator. University of Minnesota: Wadsworth Publishing Company. • Mangels, J. A. , Butterfield, B. , Lamb, J. , Good, C. D. , & Dweck, C. S. (2006). Why do beliefs about intelligence influence learning success? A social-cognitiveneuroscience model. Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience, 1, 75 -86 Further Reading • Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Random House