whitepaper_linear_learning_EN
Whitepaper
Stimulating linear learning behavior
Practical application of technology
By Fleur Deenen, MSc.
Digital Innovations For Education
Digital Innovations For Education
Stimulating linear learning behavior
Practical application of technology
Introduction
We live in a rapidly changing world. This means we have to educate students for the professions of tomorrow.
They need the ability to continuously keep learning and invent solutions for still unknown problems. Traditional
education focuses on the transfer of knowledge, while the changing world requires students who are responsible
for managing their own learning processes. This also means that the role of the teacher is changing. Teachers are
increasingly taking on the role as coach, instead of merely transmitting knowledge. A coaching teacher can guide
students throughout the learning process and help them reach their goals by providing them with feedback.
In traditional education we often see a single assessment at the end of a period. This type of assessment causes a
one-time reproduction of knowledge, resulting in less retention of knowledge. To foster continuous learning, it is
important that teachers have good insight in their students’ learning process, and that students are continuously
triggered to improve their performance.
This paper explains why a one-time reproduction of knowledge is still a commonly used assessment type and
what the limitations of this approach are. We will also discuss how multiple measurement points can stimulate
linear learning behavior and what feedback contributes to the learning process. We conclude that technology can
facilitate this process and we will support this with a practical example.
Limitations of one-time reproduction of knowledge
With teacher-centered learning, a fairly traditional form of teaching, the teacher determines what happens in class.
The content and direction are fixed; teachers often indicate the style and tempo. This usually results in one single
assessment at the end of a period, which is mainly directed to (one-time) reproduction of knowledge. Students in
fact do not have the ownership of their own learning process in this case (Slaats, 2013).
In the case of a one-time reproduction of knowledge you can speak about lower order learning. The student
Assessment
drives how
students learn
reproduces the knowledge acquired previously and because they do it only once there is little
retention of knowledge. This undermines higher order learning, whereby knowledge can be
understood and applied to new situations. The taxonomy of Bloom (Bloom et al., 1956)
shows that simply reproducing knowledge is located at the lowest level of the pyramid.
Assessment is one of the most powerful means by which teachers can influence the way students learn (Brown
& Glasner, 1999; Rust, 2002). It not only determines what type of learning is induced (for example remembering,
understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating or creating), but also the point of time at which students learn. If
there is one single assessment at the end of a period, this often means students tend to put in a lot of effort only at
the end of that period (Gibbs, 2010; Rust, 2002; Van der Drift & Vos, 1987; Vos, 1998). A so-called ‘cognitive overload’
happens before the infamous snapshot. This results in suboptimal learning results.
Use several measurement points
To prevent one-time reproduction of knowledge, it is important to use several measurement points (Van der
Better insight
into the learning
process gives
an opportunity
to make timely
adjustments
Vleuten, 2011). The different point-measurements trigger students to actively interact with the
educational content during the duration of the course. Students will therefore receive more
information about their learning process, and will be able to monitor their progress in
reaching their personal learning objectives. They can then adjust their learning well in
time. This way of assessment is also known as longitudinal assessment.
The different point-measurements are often formative. Assessing is actually more than
the assessment of knowledge alone. It is a way to increase the informativeness of the
learning process and to take students to a higher level by giving them feedback. This is also
called “Assessment for learning” (Castelijns, 2015).
Effect of feedback
Feedback is seen as an important element in formative assessment (Black & Wiliam; 1998; Hattie & Timperley,
2007; Rust, 2002). By providing timely feedback at the different measurement points, the gap between current
performance and desired performance will continue to get smaller (Sadler, 1989).
Three forms of feedback (feedback, feed-forward and feed-up) are seen as important components for learning
(Hattie & Timperley, 2007). By giving feedback, the teacher reacts to the performance of the student (with respect
to specified criteria or learning outcomes). In case of feed-forward the teacher supports students by discussing
with them what approach is needed to achieve the goal. The teacher uses feed-up to present the final goal to the
student. When giving feedback, interaction is very important. Intensive interaction between the teacher and the
student stimulates learning (Sluijsmans, Joosten-ten Brinke & Van der Vleuten, 2013). Therefore, it is important to
start a dialogue with the student when giving feedback.
In case of longitudinal assessment the assessment not only takes place after completion of the learning process;
the assessment is also used to monitor and foster the learning process. Several point-measurements that include
feedback enable that interventions can be done well in time, students’ misconceptions are disproved and deeper
learning can be encouraged (van Berkel, Bax & Joosten-ten Brinke, 2014).
4 Drieam Whitepaper - Stimulating linear learning behavior - Practical application of technology
How technology contributes to a linear learning process
Technology can make a significant contribution in achieving a linear learning process with above described
benefits. FeedPulse is an educational web application designed to make the described didactic insights actionable
in practice. Feedback will be part of learning because the student actively processes his feedback into the tool.
Therefore he is immediately confronted with his own behavior. This way, feedback becomes more meaningful.
The student commits himself to the feedback given, because he also wrote it down using his own words. There is
consensus on the feedback, because the teacher can check whether it is understood well and if necessary, respond.
FeedPulse is easy to use for teachers as well as students, because it is fully integrated with popular Learning
Management Systems (LMS, for example: Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard) through the open LTI standard.
Because the feedback and rating of multiple measurement points are all entered in the
tool, there will be an overview of the development of students over time. This makes it
easy for the teacher to monitor the learning process of students, and for the students
to gain more insight into their own development.
The rating by teachers at different point-measurements, using a smiley rating,
ensures that students are constantly triggered to improve their own performance
(see Figure 1).
Make
assessment part
of the learning
process. Use it to
learn.
Figure 1. Point-measurements rated with smileys in FeedPulse.
Case-study FeedPulse - Fontys University of Applied Sciences
Within Fontys University of Applied Sciences, FeedPulse is used to support the previously described didactic
approach. Teacher Lennart de Graaf is a strong advocate for the use of multiple measurement points including
feedback. According to him, longitudinal assessment ensures that students quickly gain insight into their areas
for improvement. This provides more control over the learning process, even for the teacher: “It takes less time to
understand which students need more attention. Now I can spend my time more efficiently.”
Lennart says that he experienced capturing feedback without the right tools as difficult. Where do you capture it?
How do you keep it available to both students and teachers? Is the feedback understood by the student as it was
intended by the teacher? And how do you get a quick overview of who are not keeping up? These questions play a
role in the transition to longitudinal assessment.
According to Lennart, FeedPulse makes it easier to work this way. He sees it as a tool to facilitate a pragmatic way
for short feedback iterations. The tool is intuitive to use so there is no long learning curve required. Lennart says
both the use of the system and the distilling of the information you need is simple. Lennart: “People understand the
intention at a glance, that is the power.”
“You could also implement longitudinal assessment without FeedPulse, but the reason it works now is that it takes
only limited time, and it provides a lot of insights.” Lennart says that in the past he would write his feedback on
paper. As a consequence, he had to search in different places for the feedback. With the dashboard functionality of
FeedPulse, he now finds everything in one overview. In addition, a Learning Management System is a logical place
to capture feedback. This is easily accessible by everyone and the place where teachers and students will search for
their information.
At Fontys, FeedPulse is used in different ways. For example, FeedPulse is used for projects to capture feedback on
group products. Every week students reflect on their progress together with the teacher. Students capture their
own feedback in the tool. The teacher uses a ‘smiley-rating’ to give students his view on the their performance.
Next to that it is also used in courses where students individually work on assignments. The way FeedPulse is used
is basically the same as for groups; the main goal is to gain understanding of how to improve both the product
and the process. This is done by engaging student and teacher in a conversation. The smiley-rating ensures
acknowledgment for a student’s performance, a kind of digital pat on the shoulder. Students who don’t perform as
well are warned on time by the use of FeedPulse. This prevents surprises for students and results in less discussion
at the end of a period. For example, now students will already know that it’s not going well by week four of their
course, instead of week ten. The students can adjust their own learning behavior and can use the feedback from the
teacher to reach a higher level.
Thanks to Lennart de Graaf, Fontys Hogeschool ICT
6 Drieam Whitepaper - Stimulating linear learning behavior - Practical application of technology
References
Berkel, H. van, Bax, A., & Joosten – ten Brinke, D. (Reds.). (2014). Toetsen in het hoger onderwijs. Houten: Bohn Stafleu
van Loghum.
Black, P. & Wiliam, D. (1998) Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education 5(1), 7-74.
Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives:
The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company.
Brown, S., & Glasner, A. (1999). Assessment matters in higher education: choosing and using diverse approaches.
Philadelphia: The Society for Research into Higher Education.
Drift, K. D. J. M. van der, & Vos, P. (1987). Anatomie van een leeromgeving. Lisse: Swets & Zeitlinger.
Gibbs, G. (2010). Using assessment to support student learning. Leeds Metropolitan University.
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77, 81-112.
Rust, C. (2002). The impact of assessment on student learning. How can the research literature practically help to
inform the development of departmental assessment strategies and learner-centred assessment practices? Active
Learning in Higher Education, 3(2), 145-158.
Sadler, R. D. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems. Instructional Science, 18, 119-144.
Slaats, E. (2013). ICT Didactiek voor het Future School project (unpublished).
Sluijsmans, D., Joosten-ten Brinke, D., & Vleuten, C. van der (2013). Toetsen met meerwaarde: een reviewstudie naar de
effectieve kenmerken van formatief toetsen.
Vos, P. (1998). Over de ware aard van uitstellen. Tijdschrift voor Hoger Onderwijs, 16(4), 259-274.
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