Memory and exams

This resource discusses the dialogue between staff and students about written feedback. Includes tips to help develop effective feedback forms, with a particular focus on designing the sheets and how to initiate student responses.

Based on the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) approach, this resource prompts students to consider the assignment question and discuss the ways in which they would answer it prior to beginning writing. A full understanding of the assignment title or question is crucial to obtain the best possible mark.

This activity was designed for an academic and study skills workshop, 'Making the Most of Feedback'. This is a game based on the infamous card game 'Cards Against Humanity' (but without the extremely offensive content!). 20-30 mins activity. Split students into groups of 3-4 (ideally 4). There are 12 blue cards which should be cut up, shuffled, and placed face down in the centre of the table. Each blue card presents a situation related to receiving feedback on assessed work. There are 36 orange cards, which should be cut up, shuffled and dealt out to all students. Each orange card gives a response a student could have to each of the situations on the blue cards. Some are 'good' responses, some are 'bad' responses, and some are blank so they student can write their own response. Each student takes a turn at selecting a blue card from the centre of the table. They read out the situation from the card and ask the other students in their group for an appropriate response to the situation. For example, a blue card might read 'Your feedback is: You have not addressed the question/title. What is the best response?'. The other students around the table then select an orange card from their hand which they think best suits the feedback situation. For example, an orange chen gets to taard might read 'Re-write the assignment brief in simple / another language to check understanding', or 'PANIC!'. Once each student has selected an orange card, they play that card, face up, on the table. The student who selected the blue card then chooses which orange response card was the best, giving a reason why they think this is the best solution, and explaining how they might go about implementing the solution. The student who played the winning orange card take the blue situation card. Play continues with each student taking a turn at selecting the blue card and judging the best answer from the other students' responses. Play is finished when all blue cards have been drawn and won. The winning student is the one with the most blue cards in their possession at the end of the game. Online version(s): 1. Translate into a Kahoot quiz with the situation as the question, and 4 different response options the students can choose from. There can be multiple correct answers (e.g. for the situation 'Your feedback is: You have not addressed the question/title. What is the best response?', answers could include 'Re-write the assignment brief in simple / another language to check understanding', 'Highlight and define the instruction verb(s) in the assignment brief' and 'Analyse the assignment learning outcomes'. The proportion of votes will demonstrate which solution most students deem favourable, and discussion can follow as to why they selected this answer. 2. Use a programme like Padlet to create an online space for student collaboration. Write each situation in a comment/sticky note on the padlet, and ask students to use the comment thread to write in what their response would be in each situation. Ask students to use the 'like' or 'upvote' function to select another student response they think is good, and add a comment explaining why this is a good solution. This version encourages students to think up their own responses and reflect on previous behaviour in response to assignment feedback.* Please note that some of the orange response cards reflect the specific study skills workshops and provision at MMU, and you will need to change these to align with the provision at your institution.*