Instructional Feedback Tools
Unfortunately, instructional feedback tools are often underutilized, and their capabilities aren’t used effectively or efficiently. It takes time to develop efficiency in maximizing LMS capabilities overall, and this is true for the use of feedback tools as well. The initial setup for any process can be intense at first, but once implemented, the processes you’ve created can last for years and can continue to help you give feedback in an effective and efficient way in future courses.
The three main feedback tools we will discuss are annotation tools, rubrics and proficiency scales, and standards-based learning mastery gradebooks. These three tools create the foundation for rich and robust feedback that is directly aligned to learning targets.
Annotation Tools
Annotation tools allow for ways to provide feedback by marking up student assignments. These annotation tools usually include:
- A rich text editor
- Commenting tools such as conversation bubbles, highlighting tools, strikeout tools, and color commenting codes
- Comment or “shortcut” keys for frequently-used instructor feedback
- Options for digital-pen grading
These annotation tools give the look and feel of traditional grading so that teachers can provide authentic feedback with personalized comments. Teachers can provide comments audibly or visually, utilizing various multimedia. This is especially helpful for world language classes or other classes that rely on audio and visual cues for student learning. The annotation tools in most industry-standard LMS applications have options for bulk downloading of student work. This feature can help teachers organize file folders, track assignment resubmission attempts, and monitor feedback and revision history so that students and teachers may track changes along the way.
Rubrics and Proficiency Scales
Rubrics and/or proficiency scales provide a way for teachers to communicate clearly-defined success criteria. This increases student self-awareness, of where they are in relation to the target, and also provides clearly-defined criteria, or standards, to which students can compare their own work. Rubrics and scales help both the teacher and student come to an agreement as to how and why student work is evaluated in the way it is. Many learning management systems have rubric tools that allow for quick and easy grading once the rubric is designed and put into place. Proficiency scales are similar in that they provide a numeric value to an assignment, usually based on a 4- or 5-point scale. These scales differ from rubrics in that they are designed to show the student’s progress towards mastery of the standard according to predefined scales, such as novice, developing, approaching, and mastery.
Learning Mastery Gradebooks
Rubrics and proficiency scales go hand-in-hand with learning mastery gradebooks, which focus on the learning rather than on point-based ratings. Industry-standard LMS applications have the ability to provide for a standards-based gradebook according to grade level or content area. These gradebooks usually require the teachers to input the grade-level or content-area standards. Teachers will also need to develop assessments that align with the learning targets according to the standard and make sure that these assessments are tagged appropriately (by standard) using rubrics or proficiency scales. Finally, teachers should ensure that the desired evidence of learning attached to the standard is appropriate and representative of actual student learning. This process requires planning and assessment mapping in order for the gradebook to reflect student learning.
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