| This investigation took place in two different classroom settings, an eighth grade Physical Science class working on a simple machine unit and a third grade Library Research project about important people in the Civil War. The case study approach consisted of a description and interpretation of feedback during the alternative assessment activities and the effect of this feedback on teacher and student sense of efficacy. Data was gathered from direct observation of the teachers and students as they were engaged in teaching and learning activities during the two alternative assessment projects, teacher and student interviews, documents and photographs.;This study found that students received feedback from teachers, peers and from the task itself. Most teacher feedback to students was focused on behavior, rather than on performance. When teachers gave performance feedback to students, it was mostly general comments to the class, characterized by nonspecific praise. When teachers gave descriptive performance feedback to students it was often in response to direct student request. Students also got feedback from other students (peer feedback). Although peer feedback was user friendly, and generally supportive, it was also often not reliable and occasionally very critical. One of the most reliable kinds of feedback students received was task feedback. Teachers received feedback from students as they watched students engaged in work.;There appeared to be a mutual influence between students and teachers as regarded their senses of efficacy that was mediated by effective feedback. Effective teacher feedback gave students information about performance, which enabled a student to perform better. When a student performed better or seemed to be more engaged, it confirmed for teachers that they had an impact on student learning. This enhanced teacher's sense of efficacy, the feeling they could influence student learning. When students performed well, teachers often issued praise to that effect. The more descriptive and direct the praise, the more confirmatory information it conveyed to students. This feedback gave the students the feeling of being capable of performing well and learning, which is student sense of efficacy. Thus, effective feedback has the capability to enhance both teacher and student sense of efficacy.;However, results of this study showed that teachers did not offer effective feedback to students often. Although the two teachers in this study espoused that their alternative assessment methods would enable their students to learn more effectively, their strategies and behaviors did not reflect the opportunities for effective feedback that alternative assessment provided. Those students who did not perform in accordance with the teacher's wishes were presumed to be disengaged and were isolated, either from the task or from other students, thus reducing the students' opportunities to get feedback. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
