Tuesday, October 7, 2014 “When to Use Whole Class Feedback”
While writing on the The Teaching Professor blog, Maryellen Weimer provides strategies for when to give appropriate whole class feedback. She says, “ Efficiency is the first thing [whole group] feedback format has going for it. The teacher can deliver the message once instead of multiple times. … What’s probably least effective is a teacher ‘lecture’ (referencing here one of those finger-pointing, sharply worded, negative critiques). If it sounds like something a parent would say to an errant child, what’s the probability of an 18-year old taking the prescribed action and what’s the probability of adult who is as old as the teacher taking offense? More effective are future-focused discussions. Based on their performance, what do they need to do next time? The discussion should identify specifics; things done well that they should continue doing, along with things to stop and start doing. Maybe some proposed actions become class goals—measurable ones that will be revisited after the next exam, paper, online discussion, or in-class activity.” To read more of Maryellen’s ideas, please click here.