Planning for Fast Feedback

Fast Feedback in the Science Classroom

Effective feedback is essential for student growth in science; rather than just the correction of “wrong” answers, students need feedback on the scientific reasoning and methodologies they use. The feedback cycle should be a routine part of class that helps students understand the significance of that feedback and the steps they need to take to move forward. Fast Feedback makes it possible to quickly give feedback to your entire class on a specific skill, learning goal, or behavior, so that you can make student learning and growth the focus of the classroom.

Here are three practical ways to integrate Fast Feedback into your science classroom, regardless of the discipline.

1. Give Feedback on Skill Acquisition

Give feedback on a specific academic skill each time your students complete an activity or assignment that requires they practice or demonstrate that skill. 

Example – Students are frequently asked to graph their data when participating in classroom activities and labs. Give students Fast Feedback on their graphing skills every time they create a graph based on a provided data set. 

• Criterion: graphing
• Criterion description: You can choose the best type of graph to display the data, create the graph based on the given data set, title the graph, label the axes, and place the correct variable on each axis. You can make a best fit line and look for outliers.
• Insights: Use the Feedback Forward data insights to plan for instruction or targeted remediation for those students who need it.

2. Elicit Evidence of Standards Mastery

Elicit evidence of standards mastery when students complete smaller, in-class assignments or activities that are tied to the same standard, but are not graded. 

Example – Students will spend three weeks mastering HS-LS3-1. Give students Fast Feedback on their progress towards mastery as they complete smaller formative assignments like creating a model of DNA, analyzing the mechanisms of gene regulation, differentiating between introns and exons, and practicing the transcription and translation of genes. 

• Criterion: HS-LS3-1 
• Criterion description: Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.
• Insights: Use Feedback Forward data insights to plan for academic intervention before assessing the concepts via summative assessment. Identify students who need targeted re-teaching to understand transcription and translation or the differences between introns and exons, or those who are ready for challenges to extend their understanding like reviewing the role of the environment in gene expression. Create practice or activity stations around the room with different tasks associated with the standard, and assign students to one or more stations based on the insights from Feedback Forward.

3. Give Feedback on Executive Functioning Skills

Provide feedback on executive functioning skills as students work individually and collaboratively to complete class assignments.

Example – Students use their organization skills during labs when they manage their time, lab supplies and lab stations appropriately. Give students or groups of students Fast Feedback as they use and organize supplies, and clean up their lab station appropriately.

• Criterion: lab organization
• Criterion description: Before, during, and after our lab, you identified and borrowed the appropriate lab supplies, organized and managed your lab station, demonstrated proper and safe use of lab materials, managed your time appropriately, worked as a team, and cleaned up your lab station appropriately, disposing of materials appropriately. 
• Insights: Use Feedback Forward data insights to identify which students need support to be successful with organization during labs and make plans for individualized support or changes in the composition of lab groups. Whole class review of time management options, working collaboratively, lab safety, and the appropriate disposal or use of lab materials may also be appropriate.