Formative+Feedback+Strategy

Formative Feedback Strategy

My Algebra students are working with linear equations. As we do activities to identify slope and intercept as well as points on a line from an equation, I want to know if my students actually understand what each of those items mean or represent. Using the data collection tool I selected in Unit 5, (Poll Everywhere) I can provide my students some quick questions, such as “Find the slope of this equation” and give them either multiple choice responses or a free response option. This allows me to see if they understood the basic concepts. Additionally, if I display the responses on the board through the projector as they come in, the students can see immediately what they are all in agreement on. This allows for discussion if needed in the case that we get a variety of responses. (or all the wrong responses) Knowing this as we go allows me to make changes and corrections to activities to ensure that I am teaching the concept the students need to know.

I would use a free response for getting to see how well students understand the “why” and the “what it represents” of each piece of a linear equation. For example, I might ask, “A kiddie pool is being filled on a hot summer day, and it takes 90 minutes to fill the pool with 60 gallons at a constant rate. Find a linear equation that describes how the pool is being filled. Select two ordered pairs that you KNOW are on the line of that equation and explain what they represent. What is the meaning of the slope?” Of course I wouldn’t necessarily ask them all the questions at once – but with a free response I can see if they are getting the idea of where each item in the equation comes from and what it means in practical terms.

Once I know how much my students do or don’t understand, I know if I can continue on with another deeper activity, or if I need to go back and clarify and clean up what I already taught. This helps not only my students this time around, but if I am consistently getting the same misunderstandings, then I can make adjustments for next year as well before I even get to teaching that concept.