Feedback, (and feed up and feed forward) is currently seen as “A GOOD THING” in education. Indeed Prof. John Hattie gives feedback an effect size of a formidable d=0.73 (Hattie in Visible Learning p173).
Being seen as “A Good Thing” is always a dangerous time for an educational idea, because - gaining sacred cow status – and therefore becoming exempt from criticism or questioning - allows all sorts of misrepresentations to flourish (Fischer and Scriven 1997).
I am as guilty as any in adding to the flourish about feedback - I am a feedback flourisher. I think it worthy of close attention when doing school … and to understand it better … I write about (and talk at length about) how to improve the effectiveness of feedback conversations with students. This usually references the use of SOLO Taxonomy to clarify “feed up” (where am I going?), feedback (how is it going) and “feed forward” (what should I do next?) at the content level, process level, self-regulatory level and the self-level.
However, it took a chance comment from T (who is editing some of my day job writing at Essential Resources ) to make me realise that I have not done anything like enough work on the misrepresentation of feedback.
Not only have I have never worried about where the terms came from or when we first started talking in this somewhat mechanistic way in teaching and learning – I have never thought to imagine any other directional systems for improving achievement outcomes through “feeding”.
So blinded was I by the GOOD THING status of feedback that I never asked –
If feed up (where am going?), feedback (how am I going?) and feedforward (where to next?) are powerfully influential in raising achievement outcomes then;
- What might “feed to the left” and “feed to the right” offer students?
- Can “feed in front of” and “feed behind” influence the quality of student achievement outcomes?
- How should we understand the influence of “feed north”, “feed south”, “feed west”, and “feed east” on student learning?
- What is the influence of the liminal zones on student achievement outcomes – all that “feed seaward”, “feed landward”, “feed upcoast”, “feed downcoast”, “feed upstream” and “feed downstream”?
- What is the pedagogical content knowledge teachers require when using “feed down” in schools?
- Or even,
- What distinguishes “feed up” from “wazzup” and “sup”?
I would like to start by imagining how to implement “feed to the left” and “feed to the right” in schools.
If feedback is, a consequence of learner performance then “feed to the left” and “feed to the right” must surely represent a pedagogical approach that helps students who struggle to locate a desired learning goal.
These new feeding orientations/directions - “feed to the left” and “feed to the right” – used when searching for that elusive – yet explicit proximate and hierarchical feed up (on the desired learning goal) - will require the student to explore their inner chameleon.
Step 1: Escape: The “student as chameleon” must reject the notion that to learn we must perch on furniture in an enclosed space, and should make all effort to escape the confines of the branch and the enclosure of the classroom.
Step 2: Changing colour: Next the “student as chameleon” should change colour to match the hue of any prominent institutional surfaces in the vicinity. Those initially challenged by the “becoming the colour of the paint on the walls” task may use food colouring or body paint.
Step 3: The walk: After mastering colour changing, the “student as chameleon” should adopt a slow moving swaying gait whilst at the same time keeping a tight control over the prehensile tail. This is a little like the pat your head and rub your tummy challenge – and may take some practice in front of the cat before attempting this in a school corridor. Students can view an instructional video here.
Step 4: “Googly eyeing” stuff: Once the gait and tail co-ordination thing is sorted, the “chameleon student” should start roaming the institution’s corridors, swivelling each stereoscopic eye separately.
Cookie Monster and Marty Feldman Episode 518 re-runs will clarify what is required at this step.
By focussing the eye swivelling - separately and simultaneously - on the left and the right - the “learner as chameleon” will achieve what most of us can only aspire to - a full 360-degree view of the landscape of learning. This step is key to enhancing those achievement outcomes.
Step 5: Binocular fixation: When a desired learning goal is spotted, the “student as chameleon” should focus both googly eyes in the same direction and attempt to capture it using their tongue.
Note:
If learning as a chameleon proves too exacting, the student can always fall back on “feed in front of” and “feed behind” strategies of the cane toad. Whilst not carrying the same effect size as “feed to the left” and “feed to the right” - “feed in front of” and “feed behind” can still evoke improved achievement outcomes with greater than d=0.4 effect sizes.
The tricky bit with “feed in front of” and “feed behind” is always in the learner’s ability to distinguish the desired learning outcome from a ping-pong ball.
This is a great article. The formalisation and mechanical routine of 'teaching' being espoused by Hattie and many others, completely fails, in my view, to take any cognisance of the extensive body of work on how children actually learn. The Hattie-ist approach just treats children as programmable machines, through looking for 'more efficient' ways to get the information into their heads.
Posted by: Allan Alach | October 16, 2011 at 09:59 AM
You are on a roll. My fave bit...
The tricky bit with “feed in front of” and “feed behind” is always in the learner’s ability to distinguish the desired learning outcome from a ping-pong ball.
Posted by: Allanah King | October 16, 2011 at 11:32 PM
Thanks for your comment Allan – tho' I am not sure that the post is deserving of your praise in the way you intend.
I do not hold to your claim that Hattie’s meta-analysis into what makes a difference in teaching and learning research supports teaching as a mechanical routine or programmable children – quite the reverse in fact – I believe that the meta-analyses and evidence of outcomes are a first step in protecting teachers from ideology, anecdote and "follow this one procedure" approaches.
I must also reveal that as a student and a teacher I much prefer evidence based practice over anecdote and opinion- much like if I were Ellis leaving the field last night with a nose bleed I’d be delighted that evidence based practice is now well established in medicine. PhD Panacea has some lovely examples of anecdotal - trial and error treatments for bleeding from the nostrils that - although undoubtedly creative - I am guessing we would all like to avoid.
The feedback thing is well established in complex living systems that control growth and development in animals – e.g. homeostasis (nervous and endocrine systems) so it does not seem unreasonable that evidence and feedback has a role to play in something as complex as learning in living things –
I can recommend a book I have been reading on learning - Knud Illeris on
How We Learn – Learning and non-learning in school and beyond – Illeris has a rather cool “learning triangle” (Figure 14.1 on page 257) - where he positions traditional learning theories and those from the latest international research (38 in all) in the spaces between CONTENT and INCENTIVE and INTERACTION. The stretch between CONTENT and INCENTIVE is mediated by developmental psychology – between INCENTIVE and INTERACTION by socialisation theory – and the stretch between INTERACTION and CONTENT by activity theory
None of them preclude Hattie’s meta analyses research findings and the call for evidence based critique on what makes a difference to learning outcomes.
Posted by: Artichoke | October 17, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Is not as uncommon as you might think Allanah - check out this recent report in The Waikato Independent
Posted by: Artichoke | October 17, 2011 at 11:26 AM
i love these videos are are to great
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Posted by: Online High School Diploma | December 23, 2011 at 11:32 PM
Great point, i don't know where this comment will feed you, but I just hope it feeds you. Is that not the purpose of great feedback?
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Posted by: Heather | January 20, 2012 at 04:22 AM
This is interesting, good topic and ill write something about this on ma blog too.
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Posted by: ccna training | March 28, 2012 at 08:52 PM
An intriguing position. I must confess, student learning being compared to the camouflaging and emulation tactics of a chameleon is a new analogy to me. It is however, interesting to see how this ultimately ties in to “feeding” methods of conveying information to and about the students, teachers, and even the educational institution itself.
Posted by: B. Goode | May 12, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Honestly, I was confused at first of what you're telling us. All I wish is that, your students will be more passionate and determined to learn more from you. Good luck !
Posted by: Bookkeepers Caloundra | August 02, 2012 at 06:16 PM
Good!!!! you are feedback flourisher?? I think feedback is the essential thing, not only in education,essential in all ares.
Posted by: NCFM | September 15, 2012 at 10:58 PM
escape, changing color, The walk,Googly eyeing stuff are the best steps...I agree with you.. very nice article..
Posted by: CISI diploma | November 02, 2012 at 10:48 PM