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Sadler's conditions of effective feedback is coded by and expanded on by Hattie et al. in 2007 to provide a clear framing on how to structure our feedback cycle.

This is backed up by experiences in the classroom.
1) Setting up students for success through structures/routines (feed-up)
2) Provision of specific feedback at appropriate/regular junctions (feedback)
3) Allowing acting on feedback through demonstrating skills (feed-forward)

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The readings can provide a common language to help improve teacher feedback literacy and in turn, student feedback literacy.

We can start to help students appreciate how feedback can and should be a part of the learning experience beyond marks and corrections. These can come through explicit teaching but must be supported by teacher modeling and pedagogical practices.

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I wonder how we, as a department/school, can put in place habits/structure/programmes to help students develop feedback literacy and how they can better use feedback to improve outcomes.

Also, I wonder if feedback literacy in the school can be used to develop metacognition ; such would be a significant lever in helping students become more self-directed.

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"The focus of effective feedback practice is, therefore, not only on what teachers do, but also on students’ understanding and their uptake of feedback information to improve their learning."

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The tripartite definition of feedback as an interactive process, an internal dialogue, and formative information is therefore still dependent on the receptivity of students.

So while we work on how we can provide personalized feedback and persevere in our feedback practice, we will need students to work on their feedback literacy.

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With so many classes and students, how will we be able to provide personalized feedback with actionable steps as well as school-wide processes to support quality feedback?

1)Use a model such that students are able to do peer review.

2)Use students' work as exemplars for analysis.

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Usually when using exemplars, students are at the self-marking level. Since this is considered a weaker model, students can be involved in the decision-making process in assessment.

This may help students be more receptive to feedback which is one of the criteria of effective feedback practice.

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"Moreover, at the end of the day, it is only the students who can take action to improve their learning"

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The students can try the "5 Whys" technique to proactive make sense of teachers' feedback.

https://www.mindtools.com/a3mi00v/5-whys

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This simple 5 Whys technique, however, can often direct you quickly to the root cause of a problem. So, whenever a system or process isn't working properly, give it a try before you embark on a more in-depth approach - and certainly before you attempt to develop a solution.

The tool's simplicity gives it great flexibility, too, and 5 Whys combines well with other methods and techniques, such as Root Cause Analysis. It is often associated with Lean Manufacturing, where it is used to identify and eliminate wasteful practices. It is also used in the analysis phase of the Six Sigma quality improvement methodology.

How to Use the 5 Whys

The model follows a very simple seven-step process: [1]

1. Assemble a Team

Gather together people who are familiar with the specifics of the problem, and with the process that you're trying to fix. Include someone to act as a facilitator, who can keep the team focused on identifying effective counter-measures.

2. Define the Problem

If you can, observe the problem in action. Discuss it with your team and write a brief, clear problem statement that you all agree on. For example, "Team A isn't meeting its response time targets" or "Software release B resulted in too many rollback failures."

Then, write your statement on a whiteboard or sticky note, leaving enough space around it to add your answers to the repeated question, "Why?"

3. Ask the First "Why?"

Ask your team why the problem is occurring. (For example, "Why isn't Team A meeting its response time targets?")

Asking "Why?" sounds simple, but answering it requires serious thought. Search for answers that are grounded in fact: they must be accounts of things that have actually happened, not guesses at what might have happened.

This prevents 5 Whys from becoming just a process of deductive reasoning, which can generate a large number of possible causes and, sometimes, create more confusion as you chase down hypothetical problems.

Your team members may come up with one obvious reason why, or several plausible ones. Record their answers as succinct phrases, rather than as single words or lengthy statements, and write them below (or beside) your problem statement. For example, saying "volume of calls is too high" is better than a vague "overloaded."

4. Ask "Why?" Four More Times

For each of the answers that you generated in Step 3, ask four further "whys" in succession. Each time, frame the question in response to the answer you've just recorded.

What Is a 5 Whys Template?

The diagram, below, shows an example of 5 Whys in action, following a single lane of inquiry.

Figure 1: 5 Whys Example (Single Lane)

The 5 Whys method also allows you to follow multiple lanes of inquiry. An example of this is shown in Figure 2, below.

In our example, asking "Why was the delivery late?" produces a second answer (Reason 2). Asking "Why?" for that answer reveals a single reason (Reason 1), which you can address with a counter-measure.

Similarly, asking "Why did the job take longer than expected?" has a second answer (Reason 2), and asking "Why?" at this point reveals a single reason (Reason 1). Another "Why?" here identifies two possibilities (Reasons 1 and 2) before a possible counter-measure becomes evident.

There is also a second reason for "Why we ran out of printer ink" (Reason 2), and a single answer for the next "Why?" (Reason 1), which can then be addressed with a counter-measure.

Figure 2: 5 Whys Example (Multiple Lanes)

Step 5. Know When to Stop

You'll know that you've revealed the root cause of the problem when asking "why" produces no more useful responses, and you can go no further. An appropriate counter-measure or process change should then become evident. (As we said earlier, if you're not sure that you've uncovered the real root cause, consider using a more in-depth problem-solving technique like Cause and Effect Analysis, Root-Cause Analysis, or FMEA.)

If you identified more than one reason in Step 3, repeat this process for each of the different branches of your analysis until you reach a root cause for each one.

6. Address the Root Cause(s)

Now that you've identified at least one root cause, you need to discuss and agree on the counter-measures that will prevent the problem from recurring.

7. Monitor Your Measures

Keep a close watch on how effectively your counter-measures eliminate or minimize the initial problem. You may need to amend them, or replace them entirely. If this happens, it's a good idea to repeat the 5 Whys process to ensure that you've identified the correct root cause.

Appreciation

A similar question-based approach known as "appreciation" can help you to uncover factors in a situation that you might otherwise miss.

It was originally developed by the military to assist commanders in gaining a comprehensive understanding of any fact, problem or situation. But you can also apply it in the workplace.

Starting with a fact, you first ask the question, "So what?" - in other words, what are the implications of that fact? Why is this fact important?

You then continue asking that question until you've drawn all possible conclusions from it.

The major difference between this and the 5 Whys technique is that appreciation is often used to get the most information out of a simple fact or statement, while 5 Whys is designed to drill down to the root of a problem.

Tips for Using the 5 Whys Technique

Try to move quickly from one question to the next. That way, you'll have the full picture before you jump to any conclusions.

The "5" in 5 Whys is really just a "rule of thumb." In some cases, you may need to ask "Why?" a few more times before you get to the root of the problem. In other cases, you may reach this point before you ask your fifth "Why?" If you do, make sure that you haven't stopped too soon, and that you're not simply accepting "knee-jerk" responses.

Know when to stop! The important point is to stop asking "Why?" when you stop producing useful responses.

Frequently Asked Questions About 5 Whys

1. What Is the 5 Whys Technique

The 5 Whys Technique is a problem-solving method involving repeatedly asking "why?" It's a way of quickly getting to the root cause of a situation.

2. Who Invented 5 Whys?

The 5 Whys technique was invented in the 1930s by Sakichi Toyoda, the Japanese industrialist, inventor, and founder of Toyota Industries.

5 Whys Infographic

See our infographic on the 5 Whys and use it to get to the root of your problems!

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5 Whys - Getting to the Root of a Problem Quickly

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5 Whys, or 5Y, is a powerful tool for getting to the root cause of a problem, and an effective way to expose weaknesses in your systems or processes.

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The quality of the feedback given to 1 student is different from the quality of feedback given to 40 students.

The delivery of the feedback given to 1 student is different from the delivery of the feedback given to 40 students.

One can take a look at this famous Chinese story of how Zhang Liang act upon the feedback of his mentor:

http://english.news.cn/20220105/e1075626f4bb427989a62f02a369fbf5/c.html

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BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Revering the elders and their wisdom has long been a social norm in China. The point is made clear by the well-known story of how Zhang Liang, a Chinese military strategist and politician in the Han dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), met his mentor.

One day, Zhang took a stroll on a bridge and met an old man there. The man walked toward Zhang and chucked his shoe down the bridge on purpose, after which he yelled at Zhang, "Hey boy, go down and fetch me my shoe!"

Zhang was astonished and unhappy but obeyed silently. The old man then lifted his foot and ordered Zhang to put on the shoe for him.

Zhang was furious but he controlled his temper and meekly obliged. The man did not show any sign of gratitude and walked away laughing.

The old man came back after walking a distance and praised Zhang: "This child can be taught!" He asked Zhang to meet him at the bridge again at dawn five days later.

Zhang was confused but agreed. Five days later, Zhang rushed to the bridge at the stroke of dawn but the old man was already waiting for him there.

The old man chided him, "How can you be late for a meeting with an elderly man? Come back again in five days!"

Zhang tried his best to be punctual the second time but the old man still arrived earlier than him, and he was scorned by the old man once more and told to return again five days later.

The third time, Zhang went to the bridge at midnight and waited until the old man appeared.

This time, the old man was impressed with Zhang's fortitude and humility. He presented Zhang with a book, saying, "You can become the tutor of a ruler after reading this book. Within 10 years, you can use your knowledge from this book to build a successful career. Meet me again 13 years from now. I'm the yellow rock at the foot of Mount Gucheng."

The old man was Huang Shigong, or "Yellow Rock Old Man." The book was titled The Art of War by Taigong and is believed to be the Six Secret Teachings by Jiang Ziya, a great ancient figure.

Zhang read the book diligently and learned a lot of skills. Later on, he became a renowned minister and military strategist and made a lot of accomplishments.

The respect for teachers, as represented in Zhang's story, still remains relevant and important in Chinese society as well as government policies.

The country's leadership has noted that the Communist Party of China and the entire society need to promote the social norms of respecting teachers and valuing education.

China has 17.93 million teachers, statistics released by the Ministry of Education in September 2021 showed.

The country will roll out a host of measures to attract more high-caliber professionals to teach in rural areas and improve education quality, according to a State Council meeting last month. ■

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Cultural China: Reverence for seniors, teachers -- The story of Zhang Liang and his mentor

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BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Revering the elders and their wisdom has long been a social norm in China. The point is made clear by the well-known story of how Zhang Liang, a Chinese military strategist and politician in the Han dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), met his mentor.

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1) There must be enough examplars of and practices (and re-assessment) for good work.
2) Feedback should be continual (eg verbal and formative) and specific.

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Feed-forward: I must be more deliberate in getting students to see that certain concepts / skills are universal and applicable across topics / subjects / aspects in life.

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1) How to change mindsets of receiving feedback (I am not good enough)?
2) How to make students see corrections as more than a "copy in green ink and done" process?
3) How do I get to so many students?
4) Is it better to provide feedback verbally than write it on their work, so that they can understand me and I can bridge any other gaps immediately? What other ways?

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Feedback is an important component to help students to learn better. In science, students often have misconceptions. Feedback in written and verbal forms are essential to help them to correct their concepts.

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Feedback improves learning.....provided it is acted upon.

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Process level feedback develops students' metacognition.
Self regulation feedback develops student ownership of learning.

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How we can work towards process level and self-regulation feedback as a department...

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To link feedback to strengthen student's self-directed attitude.

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Feedback is a process, a dialogue between the teacher, the student, and the peers. As learning is continuous, when students progress to another stage, it is the beginning of the next learning cycle.

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In the feedback process, it involves feed-up, feed-back and feed-forward. How long is each step going to be? Do i need to repeat the feed-back multiple times before going up to feed-forward? Do I need to wait for student to be ready to proceed to the next step? And this is for 1 student for one concept/LO... Will I have the time, bandwidth, to do this cycle for the entire class and for each LO?

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Is it possible to train students to reach the competency to peer review such that a teacher's role in the feedback process can be reduced? I find myself having to "re-review" what the students reviewed for their peers even with specific task rubics and success criteria exemplars given to the students.

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Feedback is a communication tool that is interactive and should be able to convey the message effectively from teacher to student, for students to act on.

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'Where to Next?' - What do students need to do after the feedback has been given. Self-regulation and working on the communicated feedback

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Quality vs Quantity. The challenge to provide individualised bespoke feedback to 40 students per class and to follow the cycle.

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1) There are multiple sources of feedback: not only from teachers but from peers too.
2) Students have the responsibility in sense-making of the feedback given, not " passive recipients but active agents"

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These ideas and information have been shared with us during our teachers' training days. And as classroom teachers we have been practising these feedback ideology to achieve effective T&L.

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The concept on students' feedback literacy is an area that broadened my thinking. I would like to expand my understanding in this area to help my students use my feedback more effectively to improve in their learning.

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The challenges will be how to use the limited curriculum time to cater to the needs of all students in our classes. We may want to engage the best feedback strategies but we could be hindered by the above issues.

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Students do show difficulty in making judgement as they may not fully understand the teacher's comments. I should seek to be clearer and more precise in my feedback to get better response from my students.

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1) Making judgment
"I participate actively in peer feedback discussion"
2) Taking action
"I am aware I have to take action in response to feedback"

Allowing students time and opportunities to evaluate and do peer feedback; to look at examples of "wrong" solutions (such as misconceptions in mole calculation), and allow them to point out the 'error'.
Be encouraging, and consistently emphasize that it is ok to make mistakes.

Allow students time to reflect and check on time if they are responding/reacting to feedback given.

This comes to mind:
说了你又不听，听了你又不懂，
懂了你又不做，做了你又做错，
错了你又不认，认了你又不改，
改了你又不服，不服你又不说。

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Time constraint
Unable to address to each student individually; mostly as a class. It renders most feedback general, vague, and at times, not effective.

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Feedback is essential, should be customized to individual performance, task, needs.
It is however, at times, time consuming; from giving feedback (by teacher or peer), to accepting feedback (by learner) to acting on it. Multiple, continuous cycles of feedback is required.

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I need to make a conscientious effort to keep track of my feedback to individuals and check that they had acted on the feedback.