what is descriptive feedback and what are the benefits of descriptive feedback?
class 10th
chapter - communication skills
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Answers
Feedback is information that is shared between a teacher and student, in order to help the student to improve from their current level of achievement, and to achieve their learning goals. Feedback should be detailed and targeted towards the individual student. It has been shown that “descriptive feedback is the most powerful tool for improving student learning” [1]
Feedback allows teachers to give students advice on how to guide their learning, how to improve a skill, and how to close the gaps in their learning. When you think of a learning goal as a destination on a GPS system, the feedback provides students with a recalculated map to reach their destination.
Feedback is the “most powerful single moderator that enhances achievement”[2]. Therefore, in order for students to be successful, or increase their success level, feedback must be given. Beneficial feedback must be timely, specific, and descriptive[3].
What is Descriptive Feedback?
When giving students feedback, it is important to not give them simply a grade, but rather specific feedback that describes their successes, and clear information on how they can improve their skills[4]. Feedback that is simply evaluative does little to improve student learning, and actually can impair the process[5].
Descriptive feedback is part of Assessment for Learning, rather than Assessment of Learning. It has “the specific purpose of helping students improve while they are still gaining knowledge and practising skills”[6]. This means that feedback needs to be targeted to supporting student development from their current level of achievement, and making clear recommendations on how to master learning goals. Effective feedback should cover three questions:
Where am I going?
How am I going?
Where to next?[7]
Descriptive feedback should engage students in metacognition and enable them to self-assess their own work. This will support improvement from their current level of achievement by allowing them to redirect their learning process to reflect their individual needs. Descriptive feedback should guide teachers in assessing what needs to be retaught, what different learning strategies will support learning, and next steps.
The feedback can fall into one of four categories, task level, process level, self-regulation level, or self level[8]. The following chart[9] gives some clarification on the four areas of focus:
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