Evaluation for Learning Styles

As a teacher in training, I agonize when I evaluate students. I constantly wonder what method is fair and am I being fair in my method that I am using? Have I left all my biases at the door? Am I unfairly comparing the students to one another’s efforts instead of looking at each individual effort? Reading Mamchur’s Six Traps of Evaluation made me worry even more! I wonder if my feedback as viewed by the students seems fair and constructive to them, and if they are able to use it to further scaffold their learning. I presume my obvious anxieties towards evaluating students comes from me as a student always wanting to succeed to the best of my ability and knowing what was expected of me is key to this success. Ambiguity to me sends me into a state of turmoil. I also want my students to succeed to the best of their ability and wish to be able to communicate with them as much as possible during evaluation processes.

I was given advice during my short practicum by my faculty associate, who obviously sensed my anxieties, to involve my students in the evaluation process. This was a foreign idea to me, because I had never seen a teacher do such a thing in my own education, but it was an idea that resonated and made sense. Mamchur speaks of “showing and not telling” to empower the students’ learning. My faculty associate’s advice was to extend this further to involve the students in the evaluation process by deciding as a class what should be evaluated. She suggested, like Mamchur states, there is learning embedded in evaluation. By having an open discussion about the criteria the students are engaged, they feel they have set goals that are reasonable and they know the expectations. It is also an opportunity for each different learning style to have input on how they would like to be assessed. The best way I have seen this implemented is through the use of a rubric.

I believe that the main purposes of evaluation are to assist students in their learning and to improve instruction. Evaluation is an essential part of the planning process. A variety of assessment strategies need to be used to accurately assess all learners; some examples include anecdotal records, observation checklists, rating scales, contracts, self-assessment, peer assessment, oral presentation, and written reports. I believe expectations for the evaluation should always be communicated to the students in advance and that students should have opportunities for input regarding the evaluation process. There should be some opportunity for the criteria and its weighting to be discussed and/or negotiated between the teacher and the students. Evaluation, above all, must be fair and equitable. It should be sensitive to the socio-cultural influences of the students and be free of bias. Students should be given opportunities to demonstrate the extent of their knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes according to their learning styles. Evaluation should help students, not hinder them by shutting down their learning. It should provide positive feedback and encourage students to participate actively in their own learning. Mamchur states that each student needs to feel personally acknowledged, recognized and valued for ideal learning to occur. I also believe an important part of evaluation is for the teacher to reflect on the methods used. This reflection assists the teacher in making decisions concerning improvements or modifications to subsequent teaching and evaluation.

I made my own assessment of my life, and I began to live it. That was freedom. ~ Fernando Flores

Where is feedback used more effectively?

Certainly, the right kind of feedback to students has a significant impact on their future performance and achievement. It’s important that student knows why he/she got an A, an B, or an C for his/her assignment. When teacher provides students with instructive suggestions and comments related to their work, the feedback improves learning process. It’s why it’s said: “Feedback has been shown to be one of the most significant activities a teacher can engage in to improve student achievement” (Hattie, 1992).
It’s necessary to note that an effective feedback, in addition to be instructive, must be timely. If the teacher delays in providing students feedback, it will lose its value for learning. Also, before assessing students, the teacher should provide them with criteria according to which they will be assessed. This way, when receiving feedback, students will be more conscious what feedback is about. I think an effective feedback must be explicit and informative to help students to see their errors and to learn how to correct them. This will be the way feedback becomes another part of learning process.

Evaluative Techniques and Feedback

Wow! Some great ideas so far! Effective feedback is an issue/concern that I have thought about a lot lately. I think that Krystal made 3 very good points

1. Students are more than just a letter grade...what kind of feedback should we be giving our students to make them feel like we are trying to support their learning??

2. Each student should be given a fair chance at evaluation...how do we make this "fair". what does "fair" mean - that everyone has equal opportunity to demonstrate what they know.

3. Giving effective feedback can change a student....so true. Effective feedback may be one of the most important "teaching strategies" in supporting students learning. In my education, I feel as though effective feedback was lacking the most. What does a letter grade really mean?? How can students change their product to improve their letter grade??? Effective feedback is often NOT the easiest feedback.

I think it’s just as important to think about student strengths and personalities when assessing students (as it is to think about when teaching students). I remember watching my principle teach a student in one of the alternative schools that I worked in. Although we weren’t in “class” per se (in fact, we were in her office), after discussing a discipline issue, she “checked in” with the student about a history test that was set for the next day. Asking if the student remembered about a certain period in history, the student looked somewhat dumbfounded. She quickly transitioned into drama mode, acting like one of the people/event he was to remember. Through this process, the student was able to engage his mind and his body and recall pertinent information about the historical event. Rather than hearing about the event verbally ( this and this happened)….he was learning visually and kinesthetically as well. I was in awe. Just as students learn better in different ways, they also demonstrate what they know in different ways. It is important that we think about student strengths and their personalities when assessing students.

I think Patrick makes a good point about Grade/Letter marks versus Pass/Fail. I think it is critical that we foster internal motivation in our students such that they will be driven because they want to learn, rather than being driven by acceptance of others (e.g., a letter grade)…only this isn’t all that simple. Sometimes, by instilling a pass/fail system, students fail to learn the information presented. I wonder if we could foster more of an internal motivation for students if they took ownership for how they would demonstrate the information learned? By giving them this kind of choice, students might be less likely to try to fit in a certain “box” to try and please the teacher.

I am very intrigued with the 6 + 1 process that Katrina has written about when evaluating writing. In my LA class, we too are working on a writing portfolio that focuses on writing/feedback/changes/feedback etc so there is more focus on the process of writing. Although this seems like more work, it is definitely more effective in terms of learning. This process makes us (students) look at the feedback presented and incorporate it into our finished product.

Evaluative Techniques & Feedback

        I remember when I was in elementary school, almost all the teachers would say good, good job and excellent to the students. Because at early age, we are allowed to make any mistakes, and we always make mistakes at that time. Then in the high school, only some teachers would give us positive feedback, since some teachers think we are between mature and immature, so most of them would stand in the middle, but not for all the teachers. In the university, since there are always a lot of students in a classroom, the professor would hardly comment on students’ performance. Instead, teaching assistants are more used to do it, and usually, they know students well.

         I am just wondering, maybe the more teachers know about students, the more comment they will give? Also, positive/negative feedback is also relates to students’ age? Because of in the early childhood, children are still young, so their physical and psychological development is uncompleted; therefore, teachers have to be more careful when they give comment to students. In university, students are adults, so they are more responsible to others and themselves. Thus, with positive feedback, they will use it to encourage themselves; and with negative feedback, they will use it to improve themselves. Without comments from teachers, they will regulate their behaviours by themselves. However, in high school, since some students are immature; therefore, giving negative feedback to a student might hurt his/her pride, discourage him/her.

           Giving feedback is an art, giving effective feedback it not easy, not at all.

Effective Feedback

Researches found that when teachers effectively employ feedback procedures, they positively and often powerfully impact the achievement of their students. According to Bellon, Bellon and Blank, “Academic feedback is more strongly and consistently related to achievement then any other teaching behavior.” Therefore, as a teacher or future teacher, it is extremely important to know how to used feedback and where to use feedback effectively.

So what is the components of effective feedback? Researches showed that feedback is an instructional dialogue between teacher and student. Black and William suggested three essential elements: recognition of the desired goal, evidence about present position, and some understanding of a way to close the gap between the two. I think that it is not where to use feedback, it is how the teacher use feedback to interact with the students and hence improve the relationship between the two and the student’s understanding of the class.

Feedback can be given verbally, or in written form. First, written feedback is when the teacher write comments on the student’s homework, or assignment, or even exam to tell the student when the teacher wants from the student. This form of feedback is widely used especially in university since there are so many students in a class and the prof probably wouldn’t have time explaining to each of the student. I think written feedback is more effective when the students are older. That’s because student can choose to ignore the comment and therefore would not know what the teacher thinks about his/her work.

Second, verbal feedback is when the teacher comment on the student’s performance face to face. I personally think that verbal feedback is more effective than written ones simply because you talk to the student face to face. You know exactly how the student is reacting to the feedback you give out and therefore you can always change the feedback in ways that would not hurt the student’s feelings (when it is a feedback for the student to work harder or something like that.) When a teacher is actually talking to the student face to face, it also gives them a chance to actually discuss about the problem, whereas written feedback would not work in this way. Therefore, I do think that in young children, especially in kindergarden and elementary school, verbal feedback would be more effective than written feedback.

How Are Evaluation Techniques Used for Different Learning Styles?

I think that there are a variety of ways to assess students that allows students' understanding to be evaluated according to their unique learning style. Too often, however, I do not feel that a lot of teachers utilize a wide enough span of evaluation techniques. For example, I recall a teacher I had in high school who only evaluated us through tests. This was very limiting for a variety of learners. While I understand the place of tests in a classroom, I also acknowedge the benefits of providing students with additional ways to present their learning throughout the rest the of the course. As a visual learner, I always appreicted the opportunity to present my understanding theough posters, projects, and power points. Sometimes, my answers to questions on tests did not show an accurate reflection of my understanding. Often, questions could be marked as either right or wrong. Sometimes, when I had some understanding of the concept, this was not evident on tests with these kinds of questions. These questions were distinctly right or wrong rather than giving me the opportunity to show at least some degree of understanding like a poster, essay, etc. would permit.

Any good teacher will acknowedge that students learn in different ways. However, this is only a valid acknowedgement if the teacher follows through by assessing students in different ways. This is not to say that a teacher should evaluate each student differently on each task; this is not practical nor reasonable. Yet, I think the key word in evaluating for differnt learning styles in variety. In terms of assessment and evaluation, this refers both to the ways students may present their learning and the manner in which it is evaluated. Much like students learn in differnt ways, teachers should assess students in different ways, allowing for all students to have chances to be successful. This means teachers should use formative assessment and summative assessment including some or all of the following methods: observation, written assignments, projects, presentations, quizzes/ tests, posters, pictures, and other methods.

How are evaluation techniques used for different learning styles?

I think, feedback is essential for student to know how they are progressing, and also, evaluation is crucial to the learner's confidence too. Since students commitment to learning relies so heavily on confidence and a belief that the learning is achievable, the way that tests and assessments are designed and managed, and results presented back to the learners, is a very important part of the learning and development process.

I think, the students can be switched off the whole idea of learning and development very quickly if they receive only negative critical test results and feedback. So, we should always look for positives in negative results. We should encourage and support them and we shouldn’t criticize without adding some positives, and certainly never focus on failure.

 I believe also, that students need to learn the importance of self-evaluation. They can do this by filling out self-evaluation forms, journalizing, taking tests, writing revisions of work, asking questions, and through discussions. When students evaluate themselves, they are assessing what they know, do not know, and what they would like to know. They begin to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses. After they self-evaluate, they will be able to set goals that they feel they can attain with the new knowledge they have about themselves.

As Mamchur  said, every learning type prefer a different style of evaluation. For example, sensing student appreciates direct, concrete and immediately relevant evaluation; intuitive student likes global, complex evaluation; thinking student prefers logical evaluation and feeling student appreciates personal and thoughtful evaluation.