SYNTHESIS OF FEEDBACKS;

I. INTRODUCTION
Feedback is a compelling influence on learner achievement. When teachers seek
or at least are open to what learners know, what they understand, where they make
errors, when they have misconceptions when they are not engaged- then teaching and
learning can be synchronised and powerful. Feedback to teachers makes learning
visible.
Feedback is a key element of the incremental process of ongoing learning and
assessment. Providing frequent and ongoing feedback is a significant means of
improving achievement in learning. It involves the provision of information about aspects
of understanding and performance and can be given by practitioners, peers, oneself
and from learners to practitioners. Effective feedback assists the learner to reflect on
their learning and their learning strategies so they can make adjustments to make better
progress in their learning. Reporting to parents and families commonly occurs at least
twice per year in a formal written statement from the school. Involving parents and
families in the learning process by providing them with more frequent feedback about
their child's learning progress and strategies they may use to assist their child to
improve is effective in improving student achievement.

Main Themes
 Service
 Social justice
 Dignity and worth of the person
 Importance of human relationships
 Integrity
 Competence

Purpose of feedback
Effective feedback is designed to determine a learner's level of understanding and
skill development to plan the next steps towards achieving the learning intentions or
goals.
 Giving and receiving feedback
Feedback provides the practitioner and learner with evidence about current knowledge
and skill development. Understanding the learner's progress and level of achievement
enables the practitioner to make decisions about the next steps to plan in the learning
program. It enables the learner to reflect on their learning strategies to confirm them or
make changes to improve their learning.

Feedback

Feedback is one of the most effective teaching and learning strategies and has an
immediate impact on learning progress. High-quality feedback is specific and ongoing.
When delivered on time, Hattie’s research shows feedback has an effect size of 1.13 on
learning achievement.

Feedback from practitioner to the learner

Effective feedback from the practitioner:

 Focuses on the quality of the learner’s work product and/or processes

 Motivates and challenges the learner to further develop their knowledge and skills
 Does not give praise, reward or punishment
 Recognises that which the student has done well and identifies what has been
misunderstood or not understood
 Focuses on the quality of the work and is specific
 Is directly linked to the learning intentions and success criteria
 May be spoken, a gesture or formalised in writing.

Feedback from learner to practitioner

Listening to answers to questions and looking closely at the work of learners on learning
tasks provides practitioners with powerful feedback about the level of learner
understanding and their practice. This evidence supports reflection and can provide
strategies to more effectively assist learners to make progress with their learning.

Feedback from and to peers

Feedback often comes informally from and to peers. It can be improved and used
productively if learners are taught concrete strategies for evaluating one another's work
against the learning intentions and the success criteria and providing appropriate
feedback. Knowing the questions to ask when evaluating learning assists learners in the
process of self-assessment.