Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: End of unit assessment
Size of student group: 10
Observer: Stephanie Cooper
Observee: Emily Sunnuck
Part One
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
The feedback is conclusive of the students first unit ‘Footwear Design Technologies’ in which the students have to select a concept and undertake design process to produce a final shoe. They also have to produce a technical file documenting all of the new footwear pattern cutting and making skills learnt in their first term.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
I’ve been working with this group since they joined us in October
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
LO1 Utilise technical applications and processes involved in footwear design and development (Knowledge, Process).
LO2 Engage with pattern cutting techniques for specified footwear and genres (Process, Realisation).
LO3 Apply skills appropriate to the required construction for specified footwear (Process, Knowledge).
LO4 Undertake practical experimentation which includes learnt technical skills (Enquiry, Communication).
LO5 Accurately record design and technical processes (Communication).
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
Students will make a shoe, produce a technical file, sketchbook and portfolio
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
It will be helpful to get some feedback on my assessment write up.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
NA
What would you particularly like feedback on?
The tone of voice – how well feedback is written in terms of clarity and encouragement
How will feedback be exchanged?
Through the form
Part Two
Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:
Emily provided examples of written feedback following a project which was from the first unit with the outcome of designing and making a shoe with supporting sketchbook, portfolio and technical information. There was a wide range of grading examples to review with grades between A to F. The feedback addresses the students personally by name with a positive and encouraging written tone and in all the examples there is a prolific amount of informative comments summing up the project outcomes and suggestions made about how the students could improve their work both technically and creatively.
The listed descriptions of the areas of the project outcomes that were successful and the areas that required more attention are clearly communicated and relatable to the specific elements of the submitted work. Emily has taken great care to explain the specifics of the design realisation and also how the student has explored and executed proportion, shape, detail, technical process and time management. There are clearly a very wide rage of elements to the project requirements including concept research, design development, sketch book creation, portfolio edit, making processes and technical specifications that are covered in the feedback with clear descriptions of specific area of discussion with praise, advice and constructive critique given in equal measure.
The project clearly had very specific requirements which the students needed to include in their process and they were informed if this requirement had not been met and given clear suggestions as to how this could have been approached differently and improved. Emily is very generous in congratulating a student who has achieved a high grade and writes with genuine pleasure in being able to award an A to a deserving student. Equally Emily is supportive and understanding if a student has not achieved a high grade and is careful in writing the criticism to encourage more communication and better engagement with the tutor team.
In the E and F grades the feedback was very clearly written and explained why the work did not reach the requirements in the learning outcomes. The student was given an opportunity for an additional tutorial as a follow up, which is a really supportive way to progress and create more tutor engagement with the student and creating a further opportunity for receiving advice.
There are some really detailed areas of feedback and suggestions, including explaining how to use colouring pens, how to annotate, create a portfolio and very specific technical information in the shoe making process which offers solid advice for the student to follow and clearly demonstrates Emily’s personal technical ability and how this is shared with the students.
There are some areas of the feedback that veer into more informal and less academic use of wording, such as describing a layout as ‘plonked’, but given that the general tone of the written feedback is coming from a highly approachable, open and encouraging place, this is in keeping with the overall friendliness in the tone of the wording.
Emily’s feedback demonstrates how positive and approachable she is as an educator and how this reflects in her teaching style along with an enthusiasm and passion for her subject, which is really well communicated in her written critiques. Emily also includes very detailed and specific technical information that originates from her own skill set and offers students valuable insights into improvement of their technical making skills.
Part Three
Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:
I feel really pleased after reading Stephanie’s observations on my written assessment. It’s good to read that my assessment feedback is digested as being compassionate and considerate of my students’ feelings and needs, as this is the way that I intend my feedback to be acknowledged and, when marking, I spend a considerable amount of time writing it to be perceived in this way.
Going forward I will continue to be mindful of the students’ feelings and needs and writing feedback that reflects this. I will also plan to improve my language to be written in a more academic manor and steer away from words that are not typically used in this capacity.
Overall, I feel that this written response to my feedback has been a great confidence boost. I can often feel nervous when constructing assessment feedback, thinking about how it will be interpreted by the students. Particularly for the lower tier or fail grades. Having been a student, I realise how impactful it can be to the student’s long term and I always try to come from a place of genuine support. Having received this feedback that I will feel much less nervous and more assured when completing assessment in the future.