Teachable Teachers: Using Circumspect Feedback to Improve Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Teachers facilitate student learning, and when student learning outcomes need to improve, teaching practice needs to improve. Teachers may receive wonderful training, envision the ideal standard of teaching, know how to obtain it, and be provided with all the necessary resources to succeed; but teachers must purposefully reflect on that information to know how to incorporate it into teaching practice (Ramos-Rodrguez, Flores Martnez, & Ponte, 2017, p. 87). Accurate, circumspect data concerning the individuals current teaching effectiveness is helpful for the teacher to effectively reflect and improve upon their teaching skill and practice (Salifu, Worlanyo, & Kuyini, 2017, p. 725). Reflective teaching leads to improved student learning when teachers analytically reflect on their teaching practice, student interactions, and personal experience in order to accomplish a desired outcome (Ramos-Rodrguez et al., 2016, p. 89). Feedback from one source is good, but feedback from multiple sources such as oneself, students, colleagues, supervisors, and training materials will provide a more complete data set (Dobbs, p. 10; Vivekananda?Schmidt, MacKillop, Crossley, & Wade, 2013, p. 439). Evaluations can focus on strengths only (Rath, 2017, p. 30) or look at the entire performance and skill set of the person being evaluated (Caretta-Weyer, Kraut, Kornegay, & Yarris, pp. 367-368). Multiple-source feedback facilitates reflective teaching practices and helps instructors improve their teaching philosophy, pedagogy, and practice (Postholm, 2018, p. 429). Reflective teaching means better teaching, which means better student learning. This presentation will discuss the benefits of reflective teaching practices on multiple-source strength-focused and comprehensive feedback to improve teaching and learning outcomes. Additionally, it will suggest a 4-step pattern for incorporating what is learned; a) develop a plan to improve, b) seek a way to be held accountable, c) practice the actions, d) reflect on the outcomes (Sherman, 2012). References Caretta-Weyer, H. A., Kraut, A. S., Kornegay, J. G., & Yarris, L. M. (2017). The View From Over Here: A Framework for Multi-Source Feedback. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 9(3), 367-368. https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-17-00200.1 Dobbs, K. (2016). 360-Degree Performance Evaluations. Veterinary Team Brief, 4(9), 10-10. Postholm, M. B. (2018). Reflective thinking in educational settings: an approach to theory and research on reflection. Educational Research, 60(4), 427-444. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2018.1530947 Ramos-Rodrguez, E., Flores Martnez, P., & Ponte, J. (2017). An Approach to the Notion of Reflective Teacher and Its Exemplification on Mathematics Education. Systemic Practice & Action Research, 30(1), 85-102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-016-9383-6 Rath, T. (2017). Strengths finder 2.0. New York, NY: Gallup Press. Salifu, I., Worlanyo, E. K., & Kuyini, A. B. (2017). Classroom engagement dynamics: examining the potency of reflective teaching approach among some selected universities in Ghana. Reflective Practice, 18(6), 725-736. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2017.1304373 Sherman, R. O. (2012, October 4). 4 steps to using feedback to improve your performance. Retrieved from https://www.emergingrnleader.com Vivekananda-Schmidt, P., MacKillop, L., Crossley, J., & Wade, W. (2013). Do assessor comments on a multi-source feedback instrument provide learner-centered feedback? Medical Education, 47(11), 1080-1088. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.12249