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19.10. 2022
Reflection, review and peer feedback
Competence goal
4. You understand the meaning of
assessment and feedback in higher education pedagogy.
Assessment criteria:
4a)
You consider the roles and objectives of assessment and feedback in the
learning process.
4b) You use examples to examine different evaluation methods and ways to
assess.
4c) You use your own experience, scientific literature or other reliable sources
of information in your reflection.
Assessment
According
to Hyppönen & Linden, one of the most important aspects of the assessment
of learning is its effect on the guiding of studying. Good assessment
encourages the students towards studying that enables a deep approach to
learning. As a contrast, bad assessment guides the students to doing things
that are insignificant for their learning and development of skills.
Role of feedback
In the Teachers’ Handbook, Hyppönen & Linden argue that “Feedback plays an important part in the developing aspect of assessment. Based on the feedback received through assessment, the students learn about the shortcomings of their learning, and understand the importance of developing their actions. Assessment aims at developing the students’ skills, correcting erroneous impressions and challenging them to a deep approach to learning. Assessment is essential when the aim is to help the students achieve the set outcomes.”
Reflections
Prior to our third webinar, we had reflected on our Orientation days in Oulu and also on our first two teaching webinars, as well as other group’s teaching. Reflections were documented into our blogs and this was also a way for us to document our learning process and to demonstrate our competence on various topics.
Personally, I found the blog writing a good way to gather my thoughts following the webinars. Not only to analyse my own progress but also reflecting other student’s ideas and topics, that were often thought provoking. It was also a good moment to re-think what I might have done differently, given another chance, and what to take on for future teaching sessions.
Our tutor’s had given us a good check list for blog writing:
Content aspects of writing your blog entries
o
Focus
on the questions of the tasks
o
Clearly
explain WHY you liked/disliked/adored/hated/felt insecure/were happy or
unhappy
o
Give
your OWN thoughts, arguments and reasons
o
Is
what you experienced going to change how you do things next time?
o
Write about other groups
presentations
o
Comment other
participants’ blogs
Ather things to consider:
o
Use quotations and
citations
o
Indicate
the original source when using citations/quotes
o
Make
a list of references at the end of your blog entry
o
One thought/idea per
paragraph
Blog reviews and feedback
For the mid-October webinar, our tutors divided us into peer review groups of three students. Our task was to read and review each other’s blog entries and give verbal review at the webinar. Our tutor’s had given us a blog feedback form, that would be a good backbone in the review.
Unfortunately, I had prior engagement for the webinar date so was not able to be present. Nevertheless, I was hoping to give my group members some feedback prior to the webinar date. While I had very little time to react and review the blog entries, I felt it was a good approach to provide some feedback before the group session. This approach would give the other students a chance to think about the feedback and perhaps also helped them to do their own reviews.
This was a good reminder how comments made in haste and in written format can result in misunderstandings. Some words might be mis-understood and the tone of the message can feel far harsher than meant.
At this point in our learning, we are mostly all just beginners. Some of us have different ideas on how to do things and hence it is good to discuss things. Personally, I feel that if, in a review situation, there is something to point out, it is also my duty to point it out, so that the recipients or student under review can reflect this in their future work. Obviously the Finnish way of directness can sometimes feel impolite but constructive criticism I think is the right term here. Cultural differences, message lost in translation and not knowing the student can result in misunderstanding and definitely need to thread carefully in the world of feedback. I believe during the webinar there had been discussion of Psychological safety and I certainly feel that this is something where I can improve.
In order to clear up the feedback given to fellow-students, I also gave them verbal reviews and I hope this cleared out any misunderstandings.
General comments on feedbacks
In my view, the blog entries were of fairly good standard. Depending on the author, some were very reflecting and open, and as such also made very interesting reading for the reviewer. Some blog entries were missing sources that made it slightly difficult to follow what was author’s own text and what a citation. Some authors could perhaps improve their blog entries by discussing what they had learnt from the teaching sessions and group work and how they ended up making the pedagogical choices for the webinars.
Sources: Hyppönen&Linden: Teacher's Handbook
Tiinna your post it´s great u use references and sources, I think your point of view can be deeper but it´s great to read your ideas.
VastaaPoistaThe misunderstood it´s a great opportunity to lear.
I like how u included the trigger questions.
Your blog have a huge structure and I liked, I can see ur personality on ur style to write and how u explain the topic, even in the desing of ur blog.
Do you think it would be a good idea to share more about yourself as a person and as a professional in this space?
Congrats...!!!! Great job friend =)