Effects of an online sharing and feedback programme on preservice teachers’ practical knowledge,learning preferences and satisfaction

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of an online sharing and feedback programme (OSFP) on preservice teachers’ practical knowledge (PTPK) and attempted to determine the relationship between satisfaction with online interaction and changes in three types of learning preferences (collaborative, competitive and individualistic). In this study, a quasi-experimental pre- and post-test control-group design was employed to examine these factors. The OSFP was designed, focusing on peer interaction on topics regarding field experiences. The analytical results reveal that the OSFP improved practical teaching knowledge, one of the forms of PTPK. Additionally, satisfaction with online sharing and feedback on the topics of interpersonal affairs strengthened preservice teachers’ preference for collaborative learning and decreased their individual preference. Notably, this study demonstrates that collaborative learning preferences positively change when learners are satisfied with online sharing and feedback on the topic of interpersonal affairs.     

Promoting deep learning in a teacher education programme through self- and peer-assessment and feedback

The incorporation of self- and peer-assessment and feedback has significant potential as a pedagogical strategy to promote deep learning in project based coursework. This study examined the impact of a deeper approach to learning on pre-service teachers’ critical thinking and metacognitive skills. It also examined the impact on student learning outcomes within a project based module with a significant design element. Forty-seven students participated in the pilot of an online peer feedback system. Results suggest that the quality of students’ reflections through peer feedback and overall satisfaction with the module remained high despite students’ citing a preference for instructor feedback. The data also indicate that the incorporation of self- and peer-assessment and feedback resulted in higher quality learning outcomes and enhanced critical thinking skills.     

From feedback to revisions: Effects of feedback features and perceptions

Although the effects of peer feedback have been studied from a number of perspectives, much remains to be learned about what leads students to act (or not) on their peers’ feedback in revisions. The present study examined the relationship between peer feedback features, student perceptions as potential mediators (understanding versus agreement with the feedback), and the likelihood of students’ implementation of the feedback. Peer feedback, back-evaluation comments, and revisions from 185 US high school students were analyzed. Investigated feedback features included four cognitive features (identification, explanation, solution, suggestion), and two affective features (mitigating praise, hedges). Logistic regression analyses revealed that: (1) both understanding and agreement with feedback predicted implementation; (2) presence of solutions predicted understanding of feedback; (3) mitigating praise predicted agreement of the problem; and (4) explanation and hedges predicted implementation separately from perception effects. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.     

同伴互评在翻译教学中的应用效果及其教学法意义

本研究旨在探讨同伴互评在翻译教学中的应用效果。研究对象是20 名英语专业高年级的学生。研究者首先对受试进行一定的培训,随后收集同伴互评的相关数据,此后随机挑选6名 学生进行访谈。结果表明：同伴互评行之有效;同伴评论的利用率很高;修改后的译文质量有显著提高;翻译的方向对同伴互评的效果无明显影响;学习者对互评机制持积极态度。将同伴互评应用到翻译教学中来,有利于培养学习者的自主 学习与合作学习的能力,强化校改意识并提高翻译质量,以及促成我国的翻译教学向以过程为取向过渡。     

Using online peer assessment in an Instructional Technology and Material Design course through social media

This study was designed to investigate the student teachers perceptions about and benefits and challenges of using Facebook as an online peer assessment tool for the student teachers’ works. The study group included 24 student teachers in science education department of a state university located in the southeast region of Turkey. A case study approach of the qualitative method was employed in the research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. The interviews were audio recorded, and records of all the interviews were transcribed into full text in Turkish. Collected data were analyzed using an emergent coding approach. Codes, then, were categorized to constitute themes and subthemes. The findings indicated that the student teachers were able to give objective feedback on their peers’ work and engaged more actively in class after participating in online peer assessment. Additionally, the students found it exciting and productive to use Facebook as a peer assessment tool in their learning.     

Trainee teachers’ experiences of classroom feedback practices and their motivation to learn

While different theoretical frameworks have been proposed to characterise the nature of feedback and the conditions under which feedback contributes to student learning, few empirical studies have examined the usefulness of these theoretical frameworks to understand student feedback experiences in classrooms particularly in a pre-service context. This article explores what classroom feedback practices trainee teachers experience, and how their feedback experiences relate to their learning motivation. The paper presents the results of questionnaire surveys conducted with 276 pre-service ESL trainee teachers in a BEd English education programme. The study found that trainee teachers in this study experienced predominantly activity-based feedback and teacher evaluation feedback, while peer/self feedback and longitudinal-development feedback were relatively infrequently used in the classroom. However, peer/self feedback and longitudinal-development feedback appeared to be most powerful in predicting positive motivational processes, followed by activity-based feedback and teacher evaluation feedback.     

Learning intentions and success criteria: learners' and teachers' views

It is generally accepted that Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies are effective in teaching and learning. Approaches within this framework include the use of formative feedback, self and peer assessment and setting and discussion of learning intentions (LIs) and success criteria (SC). There has been a great deal of research into AfL strategies, but perhaps less into the way that the use of LIs and SC are actually perceived by teachers and their pupils. The purpose of the research described in this paper was to investigate teachers’ and pupils’ perceptions of AfL strategies, focusing specifically on LIs and SC within lessons. Findings showed that while both cohorts agreed on the usefulness of LIs and SC, in practice they were rarely discussed in class. Teachers displayed a variety of understandings regarding their purpose, and some learners, while appreciating their value for revision purposes, also expressed frustration at the tokenistic way in which they were implemented. The results of this study could be helpful in informing the wider education community about how LIs and SC are viewed by teachers and learners with a view to ensure understandings are consistent with research and policy through focused professional development courses.     

Understanding the Gaps Between Turkish Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices for Dealing With Preschoolers’ Peer Relationship Problems

Research Findings: This study explores the beliefs, self-reported practices, and observed practices of Turkish preschool teachers toward children’s peer relationship problems as well as the gap between their beliefs and practices. Five female teachers of 5-year-old children were selected as participants for this multiple case study. Approximately 79 hr of observation was conducted on the children’s daily routines and activities in a natural classroom environment, which specifically included the teachers’ problem-solving strategies while confronting peer relationship problems. The participants were also interviewed regarding their beliefs and strategies for solving peer relationship problems. The findings of this qualitative investigation indicated that the teachers’ beliefs and self-reported practices included both teacher- and child-related factors. However, the observed practices included several teacher-initiated strategies; child-initiated strategies appeared, albeit less than teacher-initiated ones. This affirms the teachers’ stress on children’s role in managing peer problems. Although some of the teacher practices and beliefs were consistent, certain inconsistencies may indicate the presence of external constraints. Practice or Policy: The results of this study highlight the importance of teacher education programs providing preservice and in-service teachers with the knowledge and skills required to understand children’s peer relationships, guide their interactions, and apply appropriate intervention strategies for various peer relationship problems.     

Investigating learners’ use and understanding of peer and teacher feedback on writing: A comparative study in a Chinese English writing classroom

Existing comparative studies between peer and teacher feedback in English writing classes have predominantly used frequency measures of peer and teacher feedback in learners’ revisions to suggest their relative values for developing learners’ writing proficiency. However, learners do not necessarily understand the feedback that is used in their redrafts.This study distinguished learners’ use from their understanding of peer and teacher feedback. Eighteen Chinese university English learners participated in the study for sixteen weeks. Three research methods were adopted: (a) content analyses of learners’ use of feedback, (b) stimulated recall interviews on learners’ understanding of feedback, and (c) interviews on the factors that affected learners’ responses to feedback.The findings suggested that the learners used more teacher than peer feedback in their redrafts. However, interviews with these learners revealed that they used a larger percentage of teacher feedback than peer feedback without understanding its significance or value. Student interviews uncovered learners’ passive acceptance of teacher feedback and the facilitative role of first language use in peer interaction.This study suggests that learners’ understanding of feedback should be taken as at least an equally important factor as learners’ use of feedback in examining the relative value of peer and teacher feedback for developing learners’ writing proficiency.     

Exploring tertiary English as a Foreign Language writing tutors’ perceptions of the appropriateness of peer assessment for writing

Despite the increasing volume of research in peer assessment for writing, few studies have been conducted to explore teachers’ perceptions of its appropriateness for writing instruction. It is essential to understand teachers’ perceptions of peer assessment as teachers play an important role in whether and how peer assessment is implemented in their instruction. The current study investigated tertiary English writing tutors’ perceptions of the appropriateness of peer assessment for English as a Foreign Language writing in China, where peer assessment has been increasingly discussed and researched but only occasionally used in teaching. The current study scrutinised the reasons behind its limited use via in-depth exploratory interviews with 25 writing tutors with different teaching backgrounds. The interview data showed tutors’ limited knowledge of peer assessment and unanimous hesitation in using it. The former was explained by insufficient instruction and training in peer assessment. The latter relates to the incompatibility of peer assessment with the examinations-oriented education system, learners’ low English language proficiency and learning motivation, and the conflict of peer assessment with the entrenched teacher-driven learning culture. Suggestions are made about training and engaging teachers to effectively use peer assessment in instruction.     

Emerging: the impact of the Artist Teacher Scheme MA on students’ pedagogical and artistic practices

The United Kingdom Artist Teacher Scheme (ATS) commissioned a study of the artistic and pedagogical practices of students on a recently established Artist Teacher Scheme MA (ATS MA). The aims of this study were to: investigate the motives and objectives teachers/educators have for undertaking this ATS MA programme, the impact the programme had on their artistic and pedagogical practices and their pupils’ learning; and make recommendations for future development of ATS MA programmes. Through the analysis of questionnaires it was found that the ATS MA’s strength lies in the development of communities of practice and peer support, artist teachers’ renewed confidence in their extended artistic and pedagogical practices, the professional development of artist teachers, and significant development of the art and design curriculum.     

Connecting feedback to self-efficacy: Receiving and providing peer feedback in teacher education

Feedback can play a vital role in fostering teacher self-efficacy. Social comparisons and feedback valence (positive vs. negative feedback) are assumed to have a large impact on self-efficacy. Therefore, how pre-service teachers perceive social comparisons and feedback valence in peer feedback and the extent to which pre-service teachers (bachelor/master students) and teacher trainers incorporate comments that can have an impact on self-efficacy into their peer feedback merit investigation. Two studies were conducted. The first showed that peer feedback consisting of a social comparison and with positive feedback valence resulted in greater willingness to improve and positive affect. The second study revealed that teacher trainers’ feedback was more specific, whereas bachelor students’ feedback contained more social comparisons than did master students’ and teacher trainers’. Future research and practical implications are discussed.     

A GEARed peer feedback model and implications for learning facilitation

This study proposes a model to view and analyse college students’ written peer feedback after they assess each other’s formative task assignment and provide comments. The model was developed by: (a) revisiting learning-oriented assessment and feedback theories, (b) reviewing and summarising existing peer feedback analysis approaches as detailed in published empirical studies, and (c) analysing a small set of primary learner peer feedback data. In the proposed GEARed model of peer feedback, each complete piece of comment on one improvable unit may have four cognitive elements, i.e. identification of the Gap between performance and goal, Explanation of the gap, gap-bridging Aspirations, and being Resourceful to reach beyond the current knowledge/skill level. Two social-affective-interactive elements also play a part, i.e. being encouraging to the peer feedback receiver and doubtful toward the provider self. Each feedback comment may contain any or all of these incremental elements rather than being assigned only to one category. It is argued that the absent or unresolved aspects in feedback leave room for the receiver to reflect and may suggest instructional actions for teachers. Finally, different patterns of GEARed component combinations are hypothesised and their implications for learning and teaching are discussed.     

Prompting secondary students’ use of criteria,feedback specificity and feedback levels during an investigative task

This study investigates the effects of prompting on secondary students’ written peer feedback in chemistry investigation reports. In particular, we examined students’ feedback features in relation to the use of criteria, feedback specificity, and feedback levels. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was adopted. Reviewers in the prompted condition were provided with question prompts that asked them to pose written feedback to their peers on what they did or did not do well and suggestions for improvement, while reviewers in the unprompted condition gave written peer feedback without prompts. The findings showed that prompted peer feedback has a significant effect on the number of comments related to Knowledge of errors, Suggestions for improvement and Process level feedback. This study supports the view that prompting peer feedback in the use of criteria, feedback specificity and feedback levels opens up opportunity for reviewers to engage more meaningfully with peer feedback in report writing tasks.     

Quality of learning outcomes in an online video-based learning community: potential and challenges for student teachers

This study investigates the learning outcomes of 25 student teachers in an online video-based learning community (VBLC). Data were drawn from the student teachers' written comments and feedback recorded in the VBLC and the post-course interviews. Based on Biggs and Collis's Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy, the majority of comments and feedback were classified as uni-structural, but more sophisticated responses could also be found. The interviews revealed that the student teachers benefited from the opportunities of peer interaction and self-reflection. The study thus makes suggestions for further improvement of the operation of the VBLC.     

Understanding student engagement with peer feedback on master’s theses: a Macau study

While research on peer feedback in second language (L2) writing at university/college level has proliferated, scholars have conducted less research on peer feedback in L2 academic and scholarly writing. Drawing upon multiple sources of data including semi-structured interviews, stimulated recalls, online interviews via WeChat, first and revised drafts of master’s theses, peer written feedback, audio-recordings of oral peer feedback conferences and the finalised master’s theses, this case study examines how three master’s students affectively, behaviourally and cognitively engaged with peer feedback on drafts of their thesis in a Master of Education programme at a Macau university. The findings show that the relationship between sub-constructs within each dimension and the relationships between the three dimensions of student engagement were interconnected in a dynamic and complex way. While there were individual differences among the three students’ engagement, their affective engagement could promote or negatively influence their behavioural and cognitive engagement. This study builds our understanding of the multifaceted nature of master’s students’ engagement with peer feedback. It provides pedagogical implications about how peer feedback can enhance the quality of master’s students’ academic writing and sheds light on how to guide students to establish scholarly learning communities in higher education.     

Understanding and using feedback – A review of empirical studies concerning feedback from external evaluations to teachers

To improve the quality of teaching, educational accountability needs to include periodic external evaluations of students’ performance. This requires evaluation formats which support the development of the educational process and provide information which is understandable for teachers. The aims of this study were to review: (i) how teachers understand the feedback they receive from external evaluations; (ii) how they use the feedback; and (iii) how teachers’ understanding and use of such feedback affects the achievement of their students. None of the papers included contained simultaneous a study with all three of these aspects of external evaluations; the review shows that teachers have many problems understanding feedback and mainly focus their use of it on developing strategic teaching tactics. Research that focuses on teachers’ understanding of external evaluation, their use of it, and how the use of the feedback can foster student achievement is needed.     

Teachers' peer support: difference between perception and practice

This paper is aimed at exploring teachers’ perceptions and practices of peer support in Bangladeshi primary schools. It also looks into the contrast between the perceptions and practices, and the underlying reasons behind such deviations. The study collects data from teachers who are undergoing a large-scale teacher development project called English in Action. The project provides face-to-face and distance learning support to the teachers, as well as promotes the idea of context-based learning through peer support in both primary and secondary schools in Bangladesh. This study adopted a mixed method approach. The quantitative part looks into teachers’ perceptions and practices in regards to peer support. A close-ended questionnaire was used to understand the extent teachers feel peer support is important and their actual engagement with colleagues for the support activities. Qualitative methods including observations, focus group discussions, and interviews are used to identify the activities that teachers do together with their colleagues in a school and the barriers to such activities. The results show that, teachers define peer support in a specific way and consider it as very important for their professional development. However, their engagement in such activities is restricted by several factors.