In responding to Mike, I would first identify what he did right and acknowledge that. Usually there is something good about the submission and in the worse-case scenario where there isn't much I can say, I always thank them for the submission and the effort they put forth (even if it's just for a timely submission). Then, referencing the grading rubric, I would identify which areas in which the criteria were not met and provide suggestions on how they could have been met using terms like "for future reference" or "Moving forward, please make sure you...." this way, he knows his error isn't the end of the world, and the next assignment offers another opportunity to improve.
In responding to Kathy, I would be interested to know why she felt she didn't do well. To me, this indicates that she likely understood the assignment criteria better if she more accurately evaluated her performance. I would ask why she felt she didn't do well and what about her submission caused her to feel this way when compared against the rubric. This is the main way my communication would differ from Mike's feedback (asking why you feel you did well, then telling that you didn't might not be taken constructively). My area of focus in providing actionable feedback to Kathy would involve confirming her suspicion that she didn't follow rubric guidelines, but giving her credit for recognizing that. Then encouraging her to follow that same protocol on the next assignment and checking her submission against the rubric prior to submitting it. Usually, I offer my students a "free look" where they can email me a draft and I'll provide mini-feedback prior to official submission - this sometimes confirms their thoughts, while building confidence in their own ability to evaluate their work.
Dr. Toosi:
That is a great response. I wanted to quickly let you know that I recognized your name immediately - as my eldest son's name is Amir and also you were my instructor in my very first MBA graduate course at AIU Online back in 2007. I enjoyed your class and my experience so much that I became an online instructor last year and LOVE IT! Thank you for what you do and keep up the great work - you were an inspiration to me and online instruction has changed my life! Thanks again!
Yvette Adams
AIU MBA Class of 2008
UMA Online Adjunct instructor
Deborah ,
This is a sound and comprehensive response for both students. Basing your discussion on the objective criteia of the rubric is strong confidence builder for the students that there IS a right answer. Very nicely done.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Good Morning Everyone,
The scenarios that we have been given make an excellent case for using rubrics. The limitations in an online environment have made the use of this tool more important than ever.
In the case of the student Mike Iam assuming that the assignment was done well but off topic or missing certain objectives for the assignment. In this case I would first let the student know what they did well and use the rubric to point out where their deficiencies where and provide concrete examples using the student's own work whenever possible. For example:
"...Mike, you gave a very good example of the military stategy used at the Battle of Britain, however you did not fully illustrate the root causes that lead to the conflict, you did allude to___ on pg. 2 of your paper but ___ ..."
For the student Kathy, I would assume that the student covered all of the objectives listed on the rubric but probably treated the rubric as a question and answer document. This may be the 'root cause' of her feeling that she did not do well. After reviewing the rubric to point out what was done correctly I would ask specifically what she think she did wrong on the assignment. I would also ask her to do a short reflection on how the assignment tied into the concepts that were being studied in the class.
Deborah Balentine
John,
You are correct. The use of self-evaluations, when skillfully applied, can be helpful. Also, by sharing rubrics with students it reinforces the idea that the grade is derived by something other than how well the teacher likes them. Very good points. Thanks.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I agree, rubrics take the subjective instructor out of the equation and places an objective view of the learner's true assessment. Too often, a student feels this/her grade was subjective and believes their grade was given because the instructor does not like them. In fact, grading the learner should be an opportunity not only for the instructor to gage how well the learner is retaining information but also an opportunity for the learner to assess their strengths and weaknesses during during the course.
Self-evaluations can be helpful but sometimes hinders the progress that a student has made.
Linda,
All of the actions you identified being accomplished within the positive context you indicated would be very effective. Nice job. Thank you.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I would first evaluate the positive aspects of Mike's assignment and then mention areas of improvement, providing why his assignment did not receive full points.
With Kathy I would again evaluate the positive aspects of her assignment. The fact that she knows the areas she is weak in, I would suggest additional work in those areas, possibly tutoring through the school or working with the student on a one-to-one basis.
Renee,
Very good. Individualize chat sessions in which you review the established standards with positive feedback is one of the best things you can do. Confirming what was done right and gently correcting error is a necessity of the teaching. Both are important. Sometimes we just focus on correcting the error, which is only part of the job. Thank you for sharing your insights.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Mike- I would communicate with Mike via private Chat session telling him that he did not do as well as he thought and go through the rubric with him asking specific questions to steer him back to the assignment objectives. Be direct with Mike regarding the assignment objectives and grading policy without partiality. Offer positive feedback on those portions of the assignment that met the criteria and provide constructive criticism in a correct tone and wording to avoid damaging his self esteem.
Kathy is a shy student that needs encouragement and to realize her positive qualifications that are pertinent to the class and the assignments. Encourage her to continue to participate in the discussions by focusing on her skills and interest. Provide encouragement in her quality of the assignment submitted and encourage her to continue in this vein. Suggestion meeting with Kathy weekly to assist her in monitoring the quality of her assignment.
The difference in the communication will be personal email for Kathy to engage her into discussion. Email to Mike is for privacy to provide constructive criticism and to get him to focus on the objectives.
Crystal,
Your approach of encouragement and proper corrective measures is solid. I like the idea of having the student meet you in the chat room to finalize the process in a synchronous session. Very nice. Thank you.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Scenario 1 Mike: I would need to let Mike know that he did not do as well as he thought. Using the rubric, I would go through each step and point out where he did do well and make suggestions for improving his performance. I would also setup a chat with him in order to provide the feedback as well as to discuss any questions he may have. Lastly, I would make sure he knew he could have me review progress on projects before he turns them in.
Scenario 2 Kathy: For Kathy, I would try to encourage her to keep trying. I would make sure she had a copy of the rubric to work with. Making sure, she understands the topic and lesson would also be an important step. Lastly, I would suggest that we met in a chat room once a week to discuss her progress answer any lesson related questions, and to review progress on any upcoming projects.
Joel,
These are good instructional approaches for the corrective element of interaction. Would you use any other tactics that may be applied to both learners? Thank you for your contribution.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I would ask Mike to review his assignment with specific focus on the rubric and I would point him to several areas where I scored him differently.
With Kathy I would focus my reply on moving forward and how she can improve her performance for the next assignment. I would ask her to reflect on why she did not do well on the assignment and what she will change next time.
Justine,
Your feedback to these students is individualized and appropriate. Very nice job. Thank you for your insights.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
For Mike's assignment I would tell him:
"Great job with your assignment. I agree that you in fact did do an excellent job, however, there are a few areas that I would like to see you expand on more in your next discussion to maximize your score." The areas I would like you to focus on are....(I would give details here)Keep up the great work!
For Kathy's assignment I would tell her:
"Nice job with your assignment, however, I know from your past assignments that you are capable of doing a much more thorough job than you did with this assignment. As per the assignment we wanted to see "detailed information" regarding the topic of discussion. To maximize your score, we need to focus on expanding your discussion with factual details. For example,you could use examples to substantiate your theory. (I would then list the theory she was trying to make a point on.)
All in all my communication will be positive for both.
Sharon,
Your thorough, positive, individualized approach to each student is well-stated. This is an excellent, detailed instructional follow-up with the students. Thank you for your contribution.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Scenario 1: Mike turns in a self-evaluation of his performance on an assignment that indicates that he thought he did an excellent job and met all of the criteria in the grading rubric. When you grade Mike's assignment, you see that he has not done as well as he thought he did.
Describe how you will communicate with Mike regarding his performance in relationship to how he thought he did.
I would first indicate to Mike what he did well and highlight areas where I agree with his assessment. I would then go onto individually addressing each criteria that he felt he completed well, but which fell below the expectations of the assignment. I would specifically explain how his work did not meet the expectations and offer an example of how the submission could have been improved. I would wrap up by encouraging him to ask further questions or clarifications regarding my comments.
Scenario 2: Kathy turns in a self-evaluation of her performance on the assignment that indicates that she knows she didn't do a good job on the assignment. When you grade it you find that she accurately evaluated her performance.
How will your communications differ from how you communicated with Mike?
I would first highlight what I felt she did well. I would then go onto comment on her assessment offering her suggestions on improvement. Generally students who acknowledge doing a poor job, often are struggling with the concepts. I would offer a mutually convenient time to cover, one-on-one, the concepts she is having difficulty with.
Eryn,
Very sound. A straightforward, individualized approach for each learner is the right way to go.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Matt,
I strongly agree with your position on the "2 x 2" method. While some may view it as a balanced approach, sometimes finding two negatives to "balance" the positives is counterproductive. Thank you for your insights.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
