Self Assessment/Reflection Strategies

The "Cycle of Reflection" feedback strategy is a process used in education to encourage students to reflect on their learning experiences and receive feedback to improve their understanding and performance. This strategy involves several steps:

1. Setting goals: Students establish clear learning goals or objectives for themselves. These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART goals).

2. Engaging in learning: Students actively participate in the learning process, whether it's through attending classes, completing assignments, conducting research, or collaborating with peers.

3. Reflecting on learning: Students take time to reflect on their learning experiences. This can involve thinking about what they have learned, how they have learned it, and the challenges they encountered. Reflection can be done individually or in group discussions.

4. Seeking feedback: Students actively seek feedback from teachers, peers, or other relevant sources. They share their work or ideas and ask for input, suggestions, or constructive criticism. Feedback can provide valuable insights and perspectives for improvement.

5. Analyzing feedback: Students carefully analyze the feedback they receive. They consider the strengths of their work, areas for improvement, and any specific recommendations or suggestions provided. They compare the feedback with their initial goals to identify gaps or areas needing further development.

6. Taking action: Based on the feedback received and the analysis conducted, students develop an action plan to make improvements. They set specific steps or strategies to address the identified areas for growth and enhance their learning.

7. Repeating the cycle: Students continue the cycle by implementing their action plan, engaging in new learning experiences, and reflecting on their progress. The cycle of reflection becomes an ongoing process to promote continuous improvement and deeper understanding

The word charrette refers to any collaborative session in which each member of a small group presents their work for feedback from the other participants.   An average charrette can take approximately 8-10 minutes based on the following format:

Presentation - The presenter presents their work to a partner or small group.  Partner or group members listen. (3 mins.)

Framing Question - The presenter asks a specific question to frame the feedback.  e.g. "What can I make better about...?" "How can I improve...?" (1 min.)

Feedback - Partner or group members give suggestions.  Presenter listens.  Feedback should be helpful, specific, and kind. (2-4 mins. depending on group size)

Open Discussion - The presenter and group members have a dialogue about the suggestions/feedback.  (2 mins.)

Repeat this process with another member of the group or partner. 

Feedback dialogue frames in an educational classroom refer to structured communication tools or prompts that facilitate meaningful feedback exchanges between teachers and students. These frames are designed to guide the conversation and promote constructive feedback, reflection, and learning. They help establish a supportive and collaborative environment where students can understand their strengths, identify areas for improvement, and take ownership of their learning.

Examples of Feedback Dialogue Frames:

Start-Stop-Continue

Glow/Grow

Two Stars and a Wish

I Notice, I Wonder, What If

The Ladder of Feedback is a great tool to assist students in the process of peer feedback. This four-step process walks students through asking clarifying questions, commenting on the strengths of the work, expressing concern or opportunities for growth, and then offering suggestions for improvement. Peer assessment should happen during the learning process, on works-in-progress, and be followed by opportunities for students to use the feedback they receive to revise their work. 

The RISE teaching strategy is a student-centered approach that focuses on fostering student engagement, collaboration, and active learning. RISE stands for the following key components:

1. Relate: In this phase, the teacher helps students connect new information or concepts to their prior knowledge and real-life experiences. The goal is to make learning relevant and meaningful to the students.

2. Inquire: The inquiry phase involves promoting curiosity and critical thinking by encouraging students to ask questions, investigate, and explore. Teachers provide opportunities for students to actively seek answers and engage in problem-solving activities.

3. Synthesize: In the synthesis phase, students integrate and synthesize their learning by organizing, analyzing, and making connections between different pieces of information. They identify patterns, draw conclusions, and create new insights.

4. Extend: The extension phase involves extending and applying the acquired knowledge or skills to new contexts or situations. Students have the opportunity to transfer their learning to real-world scenarios, engage in project-based activities, or explore related topics in depth.

Using a rubric in a classroom involves providing clear criteria and standards to assess student work and communicate expectations. Here's a step-by-step description of how a rubric can be used for feedback:

1. Design the rubric: Develop a rubric that outlines the criteria for evaluating student work. The rubric should have different levels or categories that reflect varying degrees of proficiency or achievement. Each category should include specific descriptors or indicators that define what is expected at each level.

2. Share the rubric: Share the rubric with students before they begin their work. Explain the criteria, levels, and descriptors, ensuring that students understand what they need to do to achieve each level of performance. 

3. Assess the work: Evaluate student work using the rubric. Compare the work against the criteria and descriptors outlined in the rubric to determine the level of achievement. 

4. Provide feedback: Use the rubric as a tool to provide feedback to students. Instead of just assigning a score, provide specific comments or suggestions for improvement based on the rubric's criteria. Point out areas where students excel and areas where they can enhance their work. 

5. Set goals for improvement: Collaborate with students to set goals for improvement based on the feedback. Identify specific areas that need development and discuss strategies or actions to enhance their performance. 

6. Encourage self-assessment: Encourage students to self-assess their work using the rubric. Have them reflect on their progress, compare their work against the criteria, and identify areas where they have met or exceeded expectations and areas that still require improvement.

The self-reflection feedback strategy using lights is a simple approach that helps students assess their own understanding and progress. Here are the simplified steps:

1. Get colored lights: Use different colors like green, yellow, and red to represent different levels of understanding.

1. Self-assessment: Students reflect on their learning or performance and choose a colored light that matches their understanding.

2. Green light: Students choose the green light if they feel confident and have a good understanding.

3. Yellow light: Students choose the yellow light if they have some understanding but need to improve in some areas.

4. Red light: Students choose the red light if they have limited understanding and need significant improvement.

5. Discuss and reflect: Students explain their choice of light color and discuss their strengths, areas for improvement, and plans to get better.

6. Set goals: Students set goals and make plans to work on the areas they need to improve.

Using this strategy, students can visually represent their self-assessment and take ownership of their learning by identifying areas for improvement and setting goals to enhance their understanding.

The "3 and 1 marking" feedback strategy is a way for teachers to give feedback on student work. With this strategy, the teacher gives three positive comments and one suggestion for improvement.

For example, let's say a student submits an essay. The teacher would say three things they liked about the essay, such as good arguments, strong evidence, and organized structure. Then, they would offer one suggestion to make it even better, like adding more analysis or making the transitions between paragraphs clearer.

The goal of "3 and 1 marking" is to give students both praise and guidance. It helps them see what they're doing well and where they can improve.