Week 16 - 28/01/14 -You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.

Not my quote, but they are the words of an American - Evan Esar. It struck a chord with me when I reflected on the class last week - Mission Impossible. Assessment and Feedback is a critical element in taking the schooling experience beyond simply the retention of some facts and figures.

Still, there is a trap that remains. Don't continue through your teaching career believing that assessment and feedback are one and the same. Assessment has it's place, it creates the benchmark or grade that has been achieved... For student and teacher alike, the feedback is considerably more important - it lays the stepping stones that allows the student to move forward.

It was our week to give presentations on how we had assessed and given feedback during one of our own classes.

It all started with another Prezi...


My Video presentation can be viewed here


Once completed, we were paired up and sent to video ourselves offering one on one feedback, based upon a fictitious scenario linked to our specialist subject. We were encouraged to use the "Praise Sandwich" template.

Finally we were handed a piece of work that had been produced in college. Our job was to review it and offer written feedback - using the sandwich approach again.

In discussion afterwards, I raised a concern about the feedback model ( Praise Sandwich ). There seems to be an insistence on always finding something for the student to improve on. I am a firm believer in offering honest, constructive feedback. But if we are always trying to find some fault or flaw, the tutor may start to "nit pick", this can make the whole feedback process negative and possibly move the student to think that the praise elements are lacking sincerity.

While the model is very useful, like most things in education - one size never fits all. If it's good tell the student. If it needs work, tell them that too. If feedback is given with sincerity and tact it'll always move the student to add "width and depth".

Week 11 - 10/12/13 - Don't let the Natives get restless.

It was the first time I had met Dan Hodge, he was certainly a man passionate about his field and while I feel as though I am quite up to date with all things technical, he introduced me to a few new approaches and concepts - Thanks.

This image made the biggest impression upon me and also sums up why education has no option but to move with the technological bandwagon.

This generation now have mobile devices as extensions to themselves, they may as well be welded to their hands. This image isn't even of a concert, but rather what many would consider as a sombre, religious occasion... Still, out come the devices to record the event. Unlike times past when photographs may have been taken, stuck into an album and inflicted upon dinner guests... almost instantly, pictures, video and sound, along with personal comments and reflections are being recorded and circulated worldwide, not just for friends, but as in the case of me - a stranger to all those in attendance - here I am musing over an image and continuing the discussion in my own little way here on my blog.

This is the technologically accelerating world we are in... Tutors too.

"Digital natives" was a term used - in essence, all those born during or just after the general introduction of digital technologies and through interaction with these devices from an early age, have an understanding of it's concepts.

The impact that this is having and will continue to have on the education fraternity, was commented upon by the educator Louis Fourie, He made comments that spoke of the classroom as no longer being an insular environment, but rather as having " walls that are porous". We are all becoming connected to our communities and a wealth of knowledge in the world. A lecturer's role is changing from a dispenser of information to a facilitator of learning.

As you can imagine, the numerous applications out there can create a problem in itself. Attention must be paid to make sure that a persons most precious commodity - time - isn't frittered away on less important things. Care must also be taken so that personal information remains so, and a moment of carelessness doesn't result in painful repercussions.

When care is take, it is very clear to see the benefits to students and teachers alike. 

For example:

• For any with learning difficulties, using a variety of applications could assist them to overcome their personal barrier to learning -  video, voice recognition software, mind mapping apps could circumnavigate some difficulties.
• using blogs to regularly submit work can allow a tutor to monitor and offer feedback more routinely.
• Less reliance on paper and printing, a real potential to reduce costs.
• Possibly easier for some students training in more practical subjects to more accurately report upon their work using video, rather than trying to translate an exercise into a written essay.

While I love my technology and I am quite happy to hang out with the natives. I sincerely believe that technology should be embraced as a compliment to the more traditional academic skills and not mark their total demise.