Constructive teacher feedback for enhancing learner performance in mathematics

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Date
2010-12
Authors
Naroth, Charmon
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: South Africa’s participation in international achievement studies in recent years has served as a useful benchmark for learner performance in mathematics. The analysis of learning achievement against national and international benchmarks indicates that an improvement in the quality of learning output remains one of the biggest challenges facing the South African education system. Finding ways to improve learner performance in mathematics should thus be a critical priority for all stakeholders. The extant literature proposes that strengthening the practice of using assessment for formative purposes results in significant learning gains. The value of positive and constructive feedback to learners during the process of assessment is advocated by a number of studies, yet few studies focus on investigating the use of feedback strategies in a mathematics classroom context, or reflect on the contextual realities that may impact on the provision of feedback to learners. In this research a case study was conducted in the classrooms of two primary school mathematics teachers in order to explore evidence of feedback strategies used in their classrooms and the factors that may have an impact on their ability to provide constructive feedback to learners. The study also examined the contextual realities at classroom level that may impede on the use of constructive feedback to enhance learning. The teachers were observed in their classrooms and follow-up interviews were conducted. Samples of the teachers’ documents and the learners’ work were used to evaluate the teachers’ feedback strategies and provide practical suggestions. The qualitative data was used to explicate findings from the literature review and enabled the study to provide recommendations pertaining to the provision of feedback to learners.
Afrikaans: Suid Afrika se deelname in internasionale studies in onlangse jare het as ʼn nuttige maatstaf gedien om leerderprestasie in wiskunde te meet. ʼn Analise van leerderprestasie teen nasionale en internasionale standaarde dui daarop dat verbetering in die kwaliteit van leeruitsette nog steeds een van die grootste uitdagings vir die Suid- Afrikaanse onderwyssisteem is. Om leerderprestasie in wiskunde te verbeter moet dus ʼn kritiese prioriteit vir alle aandeelhouers wees.Die bestaande literatuur stel voor dat die gebruik van assessering vir formatiewe doeleindes heelwat verbetering in leeruitsette tot gevolg kan hê. Die waarde van konstruktiewe terugvoer aan leerders tydens die proses van assessering word deur n aantal studies bevorder, maar min studies fokus op die ondersoek van die gebruik van terugvoerstrategieë in ʼn wiskunde-klas, asook die kontekstuele werklikhede wat ʼn impak mag hê op die verskaffing van terugvoer aan leerders. In hierdie navorsingsstudie is ʼn gevallestudie in die klaskamers van twee wiskunde onderwysers in ʼn primêre skool uitgevoer, ten einde te ondersoek watter terugvoerstrategieë in hul klaskamers gebruik word, asook die faktore wat ʼn impak op hul vermoë om konstruktiewe terugvoer aan leerders te gee, mag hê. Die studie ondersoek ook die kontekstuele werklikhede in die klaskamer wat die gebruik van konstruktiewe terugvoer aan leerders om hul prestasie te verbeter, mag strem. Die onderwysers is in hul klaskamers waargeneem en onderhoude is daarna uitgevoer. Die onderwysers se beplanningsdokumente en die leerders se werkboeke is gebruik om die onderwysers se terugvoerstrategieë te evalueer en daarvolgens praktiese voorstelle te verskaf. Die kwalitatiewe data is gebruik om bevindinge van die literatuurstudie te evalueer en het die navorser in staat gestel om aanbevelings met betrekking tot die verskaffing van terugvoer aan leerders te maak.
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Keywords
Mathematics, Formative Assessment, Feedback, Constructive mathematics, Problem solving -- Study and teaching, Effective teaching -- South Africa, Educational evaluation -- South Africa, Dissertation (M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies))--University of the Free State, 2010, Problem-solving, Learning theories, Social constructivism, Constructive feedback
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