A comparative analysis of the skilled use of automated feedback tools through the lens of teacher feedback literacy

Effective learning depends on effective feedback, which in turn requires a set of skills, dispositions and practices on the part of both students and teachers which have been termed feedback literacy. A previously published teacher feedback literacy competency framework has identified what is needed by teachers to implement feedback well. While this framework refers in broad terms to the potential uses of educational technologies, it does not examine in detail the new possibilities of automated feedback (AF) tools, especially those that are open by offering varying degrees of transparency and control to teachers. Using analytics and artificial intelligence, open AF tools permit automated processing and feedback with a speed, precision and scale that exceeds that of humans. This raises important questions about how human and machine feedback can be combined optimally and what is now required of teachers to use such tools skillfully. The paper addresses two research questions: Which teacher feedback competencies are necessary for the skilled use of open AF tools? and What does the skilled use of open AF tools add to our conceptions of teacher feedback competencies? We conduct an analysis of published evidence concerning teachers’ use of open AF tools through the lens of teacher feedback literacy, which produces summary matrices revealing relative strengths and weaknesses in the literature, and the relevance of the feedback literacy framework. We conclude firstly, that when used effectively, open AF tools exercise a range of teacher feedback competencies. The paper thus offers a detailed account of the nature of teachers’ feedback literacy practices within this context. Secondly, this analysis reveals gaps in the literature, signalling opportunities for future work. Thirdly, we propose several examples of automated feedback literacy, that is, distinctive teacher competencies linked to the skilled use of open AF tools

Performance Assessment Practice as Professional Learning

While performance assessment (PA) is well aligned to project-based learning (PjBL), teachers find it challenging to design and implement PA that is faithful to the authentic context of their projects and viewed externally as rigorous. In contrast to standardizing PA tasks — thereby diminishing authenticity — we formed a research-practice partnership (Coburn, Penuel, & Geil, 2013) that developed and used a “shell” to guide teachers in planning, implementing, and engaging in rigorous dialogues that evaluate and elevate PA practice across four PjBL schools. Drawing from analysis of artifacts and audio-recorded professional development sessions, we highlight how the effort to standardize PA practice while maintaining fidelity to authentic context provided rich opportunities for teacher learning and fostered higher levels of teacher responsibility for assessment

Cracking the Code: Synchronizing Policy and Practice for Performance-Based Learning

Proposes a policy framework for integrating performance-based learning into the education system, synchronizing policy and practice, and ensuring collaborative state leadership and flexible federal leadership. Lists state policy issues and exemplars

Learning Outcomes Assessment A Practitioner\u27s Handbook

Ontario’s colleges and universities have made strides in developing learning outcomes, yet effective assessment remains a challenge. Learning Outcomes Assessment A Practitioner\u27s Handbook is a step-by-step resource to help faculty, staff, academic leaders and educational developers design, review and assess program-level learning outcomes. The handbook explores the theory, principles, reasons for and methods behind developing program-level learning outcomes; emerging developments in assessment; and tips and techniques to build institutional culture, increase faculty involvement and examine curriculum-embedded assessment. It also includes definitions, examples, case studies and recommendations that can be tailored to specific institutional cultures.https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/ctlreports/1005/thumbnail.jp

A Literature Review on Intelligent Services Applied to Distance Learning

Distance learning has assumed a relevant role in the educational scenario. The use of Virtual Learning Environments contributes to obtaining a substantial amount of educational data. In this sense, the analyzed data generate knowledge used by institutions to assist managers and professors in strategic planning and teaching. The discovery of students’ behaviors enables a wide variety of intelligent services for assisting in the learning process. This article presents a literature review in order to identify the intelligent services applied in distance learning. The research covers the period from January 2010 to May 2021. The initial search found 1316 articles, among which 51 were selected for further studies. Considering the selected articles, 33% (17/51) focus on learning systems, 35% (18/51) propose recommendation systems, 26% (13/51) approach predictive systems or models, and 6% (3/51) use assessment tools. This review allowed for the observation that the principal services offered are recommendation systems and learning systems. In these services, the analysis of student profiles stands out to identify patterns of behavior, detect low performance, and identify probabilities of dropouts from courses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploring the impact of library instruction on the Human Sciences Research Council staff, in support of achieving their research and academic goals

This study explored the impact of library instruction (LI) on the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) staff, in support of achieving their research and academic goals. The study used a mixed methods sequential explanatory design, which consisted of two separate phases: quantitative data collection followed by qualitative data collection. The researcher surveyed the HSRC staff members, by using two online questionnaires. The first was for staff members who previously attended LI and the second for those who had never attended. A Likert scale was used to gauge the extent to which a participant agreed or disagreed with certain statements posed. A combination of open and closed ended questions were used in the questionnaire. The researcher used the free survey software Google forms to create and disseminate the quantitative questionnaires. The data files were then downloaded from Google forms into an Excel file and uploaded into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for analysis. Participants volunteered for a follow‐up interview; this option was included in both questionnaires. The researcher had separate semi-structured interview guides for staff who attended and for those who never attended LI. Face‐to‐face and telephonic interviews were used to gather data. Interviewees were asked to sign a consent form, granting the researcher permission to audio record the interview. The total number of staff members, with valid e‐mail addresses that were sampled was 385. The total response rate was 27%. A total of 104 staff responded, with 69 staff members responding to the questionnaire for those who had attended LI and 35 staff responding to the questionnaire for those who had never attended LI. There were 40 staff members who volunteered to be interviewed, the researcher interviewed the first 30 who responded with signed consent forms. The findings illustrated that LI had a positive influence on the ability of the staff to achieve some of their research and academic goals. Participants indicated that they developed and learned new skills by attending LI. They also attributed their ability to find relevant sources, critically evaluate information and use information responsibly iv due to LI. LI however had little influence on staff publishing more, finding and applying for researching funding, or increasing citation counts. The findings provided an opportunity for the HSRC LI team to develop and explore alternative methods to contribute to staff success in these areas. The study also found that the HSRC library could explore the need for alternative instructional models, consider hosting LI sessions for similar post level groupings and consider offering more LI classes so staff could have more opportunities to attend

A Systematic Review of Teacher-Facing Dashboards for Collaborative Learning Activities and Tools in Online Higher Education

Dashboard for online higher education support monitoring and evaluation of students’ interactions, but mostly limited to interaction occurring within learning management systems. In this study, we sought to find which collaborative learning activities and tools in online higher education are included in teaching dashboards. By following Kitchenham’s procedure for systematic reviews, 36 papers were identified according to this focus and analysed. The results identify dashboards supporting collaborative tools, both synchronous and asynchronous, along categories such as learning management systems, communication tools, social media, computer programming code management platforms, project management platforms, and collaborative writing tools. Dashboard support was also found for collaborative activities, grouped under four categories of forum discussion activities, three categories of communication activities and four categories of collaborative editing/sharing activities, though most of the analysed dashboards only provide support for no more than two or three collaborative tools. This represents a need for further research on how to develop dashboards that combine data from a more diverse set of collaborative activities and tools.This work was supported by the TRIO project funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ KA220-ADU – Cooperation partnerships in adult education programme under grant agreement no. KA220-ADU-1B9975F8.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Role of LMS Assessment Tools

To address the crisis of low retention and graduation rates at two-year colleges, public policy has focused on accountability and evidence of achievement based on outcomes. Further, online learning environments and their tools have caused a major paradigm shift in the policies, practices and learning processes of higher education. However, research on the use of technology for educational purpose and the use of the LMS tools for learning outcomes is still limited. This mixed-methods action research study (MMAR) explored the use of LMS assessment tools among faculty teaching English Composition at a community college. The aim was to increase their use for informed decision-making on student outcomes through faculty-led workshops. Based on the findings, the V-FLC was able to develop a plan for further and sustained use of the tools and make recommendations to the division for wide-scale adoption and use. This study’s findings also contribute to the existing literature addressing faculty needs and the role of grass root leadership in LMS tool use to inform assessment practices

Microlearning for the development of Teachers’ Digital Competence related to feedback and decision making

[EN] The assessment and feedback area of the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) establishes a specific competence related to the ability to use digital technologies to provide feedback and make decisions for learning. According to the literature, this particular competence is one of the least developed in the teaching profession. As there are few specialised training strategies in the field of information and communication technology (ICT)-mediated feedback, this study aims to validate a microlearning proposal for university teachers, organised in levels of progression following the DigCompEdu guidelines. To validate the proposal, a literature analysis was carried out and a training proposal was developed and submitted to a peer review process to assess its relevance. This study identifies the elements that should be included in a training strategy in the area of feedback and decision making for university contexts. Finally, it is concluded that this type of training requires a combination of agile and self-managed strategies (characteristics of microlearning), which can be complemented by the presentation of evidence and collaborative work with colleagues