As educators continue to grapple with the complexities of teaching in large classes, particularly in the wake of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of effective feedback and assessment strategies has become increasingly apparent. Prof. David Carless, a renowned scholar in the field of feedback and assessment, offers valuable insights into how we can design and implement feedback processes that are both impactful for students and manageable for teachers. This blog post synthesizes key points from Prof. Carless’s presentation, focusing on practical strategies and their broader implications.
The Challenges of Feedback in Large Classes
Traditional feedback models, often centered on teacher transmission, struggle to meet the diverse and evolving needs of students in large classes. Prof. Carless emphasizes the necessity of moving beyond these models to foster feedback processes that:
- Encourage Internal Feedback: Students should engage in metacognitive activities, reflecting on their work and comparing it with standards or exemplars to guide their learning.
- Integrate Feedback Seamlessly: Feedback needs to align with assessments and learning goals, creating a coherent learning experience.
- Balance Teacher Workload: Effective feedback must not become an unsustainable burden on educators.
The Role of Exemplars: Proxies for Feedback
One of the standout strategies discussed by Prof. Carless is the use of exemplars as proxies for feedback. Exemplars—samples of past student work—provide a practical, scalable way to guide students. They stimulate internal feedback by allowing students to:
- Compare their work with exemplars, enhancing their understanding of quality and performance standards.
- Reflect on how their approach aligns with the task requirements and identify areas for improvement.
Example in Practice: In a case study involving a tort law class, students were tasked with creating Reflective Media Diaries (RMDs) based on real-world legal cases. By engaging with authentic, evolving cases, students developed their analytical skills over the course of the semester. Exemplars of past diaries provided clarity on expectations and helped students refine their work without direct teacher intervention.
Designing Feedback Processes for Uptake
Prof. Carless highlights that feedback is only effective if it “lands” in a way that students can use. This requires:
- Timely Feedback: Feedback should be provided at a stage when students can apply it to improve ongoing or future work.
- Actionable Insights: Feedback must be specific and relevant to students’ tasks and learning goals.
- Integration into Learning Design: Feedback opportunities should be embedded throughout the course, not just at the end of assessment cycles.
Promoting Social Presence in Remote Learning
The pandemic underscored the importance of maintaining a sense of connection in remote learning environments. Prof. Carless advocates for:
- Video and Audio Feedback: Personalized feedback formats can create a stronger sense of engagement and presence.
- Peer Feedback: Facilitating peer-to-peer feedback exchanges fosters collaboration and reduces teacher workload.
The Shared Responsibility of Feedback
A key takeaway from Prof. Carless’s approach is that feedback should be a shared responsibility. Students must be active participants, generating internal feedback and seeking external input to enhance their learning. Teachers, meanwhile, should focus on developing feedback literacy—both their own and their students’—to create a productive feedback ecosystem.
Conclusion
In large classes, effective feedback and assessment design are essential to creating meaningful learning experiences. Prof. Carless’s work underscores the importance of integrating internal and external feedback processes, leveraging exemplars, and promoting student agency. By rethinking traditional feedback models and embracing innovative strategies, educators can enhance both teaching effectiveness and student outcomes in large-class contexts.
A great presentation by @CarlessDavid on feedback literacy