"Connecting to Learning Goals and Success Criteria"
from the AER Video Library
(http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/aer/aervideo/descriptivefeedback.html#)
Effective feedback is directly connected to what students are to learn and to the criteria for successful learning.
To ensure that students have a clear understanding of what they are expected to learn, teachers state the learning as learning goals - brief, concise statements, in student-friendly language, that describe what students are to know or be able to do at the end of instruction.
Similarly, students need to share with the teacher a clear understanding of what constitutes successful achievement of the learning goals. These success criteria also need to be expressed in student friendly language.
When feedback is linked to the learning goals and success criteria, it contains the information that students need to progress in their learning. Further, by expressing what students are expected to learn, and what it looks like when they’ve learned it in language meaningful to students, we empower them with the ability to monitor their progress and set individual learning goals.
To ensure that students have a clear understanding of what they are expected to learn, teachers state the learning as learning goals - brief, concise statements, in student-friendly language, that describe what students are to know or be able to do at the end of instruction.
Similarly, students need to share with the teacher a clear understanding of what constitutes successful achievement of the learning goals. These success criteria also need to be expressed in student friendly language.
When feedback is linked to the learning goals and success criteria, it contains the information that students need to progress in their learning. Further, by expressing what students are expected to learn, and what it looks like when they’ve learned it in language meaningful to students, we empower them with the ability to monitor their progress and set individual learning goals.
"Students can hit any target that they know about and that holds still for them."
Stiggins et al (2006)
AER Video Library Segment 4: Connecting to Learning Goals and Success Criteria
As you watch the video, think about this question:
As you watch the video, think about this question:
How can students gain a clear understanding of the learning goals and the success criteria?
Transcript of Video Segment 4 | |
File Size: | 252 kb |
File Type: |
What’s in this Segment?
Planning assessment and instruction (0:40 - 0:55)
The teachers are using an approach to planning called ‘backward design’ (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Based on the concept of planning backwards from the desired results, this approach consists of three stages that help teachers plan assessment and instruction in an integrated way. The teachers use three questions to frame their planning:
How will we know they have learned? (1:48 – 2:32)
The teachers plan how they will gather evidence of student learning, as well as what criteria they will use to determine how well students have learned. Teachers also plan how they will ensure that students know the success criteria, and how they will use the criteria in peer and self-assessment.
Developing students’ understanding of the success criteria (2:33 – 3:05)
Teachers can use a variety of approaches to help students understand the success criteria, including asking them questions about their understanding, encouraging them to ask questions, showing them examples of strong and weak work, and collaboratively developing the criteria with students. Stiggins et al. (2006) suggest these and other strategies help students answer the question, “Where am I going?”
Co-creating criteria (3:05 – 4:11)
The teacher and students work together to develop the criteria for success on the journal task. Students are asked to examine samples of journal entries to determine what makes them more or less effective. The teacher initially accepts all brainstormed criteria from the students, and then, guided by the success criteria she has developed in her planning, she leads a discussion to develop clear success criteria in language meaningful to the students.
Feedback based on success criteria (4:46 – 5:34)
Both the teacher’s feedback to the student and the student’s self-assessment are clearly connected to the success criteria.
How will we design the learning so all will learn? (5:34 – 5:48)
Teachers select and sequence the learning experiences (instruction) integrated with opportunities to gather information about the learning (assessment). They intentionally design assessments to occur at ‘checkpoints,’ critical points during the learning where teachers and students engage in assessment, to determine who is learning and who needs additional or alternative instruction prior to moving forward with the learning.
It is at these points where students receive feedback from the teacher, from peers, and from themselves (through self-assessment), and use the feedback to take further action to learn and improve.
LEARNING: VIDEO SERIES Descriptive Feedback Viewer’s Guide
http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/aer/aervideo/descriptivefeedback.html#
Planning assessment and instruction (0:40 - 0:55)
The teachers are using an approach to planning called ‘backward design’ (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Based on the concept of planning backwards from the desired results, this approach consists of three stages that help teachers plan assessment and instruction in an integrated way. The teachers use three questions to frame their planning:
- What are students expected to learn?
- How will we know they have learned?
- How will we design the learning so all will learn?
How will we know they have learned? (1:48 – 2:32)
The teachers plan how they will gather evidence of student learning, as well as what criteria they will use to determine how well students have learned. Teachers also plan how they will ensure that students know the success criteria, and how they will use the criteria in peer and self-assessment.
Developing students’ understanding of the success criteria (2:33 – 3:05)
Teachers can use a variety of approaches to help students understand the success criteria, including asking them questions about their understanding, encouraging them to ask questions, showing them examples of strong and weak work, and collaboratively developing the criteria with students. Stiggins et al. (2006) suggest these and other strategies help students answer the question, “Where am I going?”
Co-creating criteria (3:05 – 4:11)
The teacher and students work together to develop the criteria for success on the journal task. Students are asked to examine samples of journal entries to determine what makes them more or less effective. The teacher initially accepts all brainstormed criteria from the students, and then, guided by the success criteria she has developed in her planning, she leads a discussion to develop clear success criteria in language meaningful to the students.
Feedback based on success criteria (4:46 – 5:34)
Both the teacher’s feedback to the student and the student’s self-assessment are clearly connected to the success criteria.
How will we design the learning so all will learn? (5:34 – 5:48)
Teachers select and sequence the learning experiences (instruction) integrated with opportunities to gather information about the learning (assessment). They intentionally design assessments to occur at ‘checkpoints,’ critical points during the learning where teachers and students engage in assessment, to determine who is learning and who needs additional or alternative instruction prior to moving forward with the learning.
It is at these points where students receive feedback from the teacher, from peers, and from themselves (through self-assessment), and use the feedback to take further action to learn and improve.
LEARNING: VIDEO SERIES Descriptive Feedback Viewer’s Guide
http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/aer/aervideo/descriptivefeedback.html#
References
Stiggins, R. J., Arter, J. A., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004, 2006). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right – Using it well. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Stiggins, R. J., Arter, J. A., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004, 2006). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right – Using it well. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.