I have not begun working out these yet:
‘Learning sessions directly engaging students in activities and discussion around their own learning role’
But I have started this:
‘Opening up discussion around the language educators use when gathering feedback and why a word like ‘satisfaction’ is problematic.’
_____________________
What I did
1. Invited student reps to a series of Feedback Design Sessions (x4)
2. Started the first session with discussion of feedback aims and functions. Shared my own thoughts
- Discover how successful or unsuccessful learning activities have been
(ask open questions and questions about specific areas)
- Help us plan changes that need to be made
(Be qualitative, not quantitative)
- Discover what additional or different learning activities might be needed going forward
(parameters?)
- Discover issues that have arisen
- Help us find possible solutions and strategies
(Need details)
- Make people feel heard and seen
(Emotional material, need to acknowledge that it may not be possible to act on?)
then asked them for any extras they thought should be included.
3. Used this aims structure as a basis to start thinking about what specific questions should be.
4. Wrote questions down during meeting.
5. Input into Microsoft Forms: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=xClkjH8We0e4y3fugnWNEQJ8Z2xQHF9Fo1nIieXxXeNUNzk5WEZYV0cwNVFVQzIzNUxaM1paTFJRSi4u
What I learnt
- Students, especially perhaps speakers in a second language, can find the beginning discussion confusing at first, e.g. ‘Are these questions you’re saying should be asked?’ In response, you can make clear that questions grow out of aims and you may need to repeat this.
- Reps can want to tell you feedback they have heard from their peers. In response, you can lead them back to the activity at hand and help them form what they’re sharing into questions or give them a different place/space that this feedback should be channelled into, e.g. Moodle Forum.
- Many student pre-conceptions, expectations and mis-conceptions are exposed regarding experience, e.g. their idea of the resources available. It is complex to balance protecting their self-esteem, confidence and feelings with explaining hard facts. A key to this seems to be in keeping the discussion in explanation and not excuse territory.