• Question: We try to encourage student response to feedback via metacognition. But it simply doesn't work as well as I've read that it should. Do you have any advice or alternatives that I could put into practise with my students (11-16) regarding how they respond to feedback, in terms of HOW and WHY they did things the way they did?

    Asked by @_MrGeography to Alice, Anna R, Chris J, Matt D on 28 Apr 2015.
    • Photo: Alice Jones

      Alice Jones answered on 28 Apr 2015:

      I think metacognition like this is a skill that students need to learn. My undergraduates certainly need coaching in doing this effectively, and we use things like stem-statements to help them to structure their response to feedback.

      There’s an interesting set of case studies here from a secondary age biology class (link)

      This is also biology-focused, but I think it’s nicely written and has some useful ideas (that I’m definitely borrowing for my undergrad practice).

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 29 Apr 2015:

      I am working on improving effectiveness of feedback in University students through an approach that focuses on teaching students about differences in mindset. Here is a piece of the module that may be useful:

      “One of the key barriers that can prevent you acting effectively on the feedback available to you is the attitude you adopt towards it.

      An important piece of substantive research by Professor Carol Dweck of Stanford University studied what makes some people give up when faced with obstacles and barriers (such as a piece of negative feedback), whereas others will persist and work to remove them, thereby increasing their chances of becoming the best they can be.

      We see examples of this persistance all around us – think of sports people returning from injury, or someone who rebuilds a failed business for example. Think also about a student who gets a poor assignment result – will they give up, or go on to produce a better piece of work next time? Even a student who has an unexpectedly good result – will they take the time to understand why it was good and build upon it to repeat it next time?

      One of the key discoveries of Professor Dweck’s research is that when we set out to take on a challenge, such as an assignment, we will adopt one of two Mindsets – and which Mindset we choose will have a significant impact on our chances of becoming the ‘best we can be’ at it.”

Comments

  • Photo: @_MrGeography

    @_MrGeography commented on :

    Thank you both. I’ve done lots of reading on growth mindset (Dweck), and the school is keen to implement that, but it’s taking the kids a long time and some, due to their background, are very reluctant to adopt the stance! Hoping we can nurture it eventually…!

  • Photo: johannes-hellwig

    johannes-hellwig commented on :

    In Psychology a big concept of how the mindset is set and influences the action/behaviour is called “self-efficacy” mostly developed by Albert Bandura. If and how a certain action/behaviour will be enacted is dependent on the 2 things among others: 1. students have to believe that a certain behaviour will lead to a specific outcome and 2. students have to believe that they have the skills needed for this behaviour. This mindset can be influenced through experiences of success, though vicarious experience, through verbal persuasion and through emotional auroral. A positive mindset the research shows has also a positive influence on how students cope with setbacks and negative outcomes. A good way of encouraging students to respond to feedback positively is to give them a positive mindset through self experienced accomplishments.

  • Photo: Marc

    Marc commented on :

    Alice, I found your second article really interesting, especially as I teach biology, but your first link doesn’t seem to work. Could you re post it please?