Providing Feedback to Peers on Progress Report

Providing Feedback to Peers on Progress Report Order Description Please note that this Feedback is for 2 students, (400 words per student). For the references list, 3 suggested references for each student. Please note: this work is just feedback! and it is very important to see the examples and follow the structure. Guidelines for providing feedback Please also check the guidelines for providing feedback from Quick Tips 3 (Providing Feedback to Peers) ? The key directions for providing your feedback are: ? What did you find interesting about the paper and the topic? ? Were there any questions that arose in your mind about the project that did not seem to be provided in the outline? ? What aspects that you, as a reader, would like to read more about in the final paper, if you were to assess the work. ? Are there constructive suggestions or creative ideas that you have about how the project might be developed? 1 Providing Feedback to Peers on Progress Report As described for the Plan for Investigation then the benefits for authors and reviewers in providing feedback are: For authors of the progress report, you can: ? Refine your ideas as a result of the feedback that you receive. ? Develop a better sense of how an audience will read your work. For reviewers of the progress report, you can: ? Gain insights for your own work from reading other submissions. ? See other approaches for organising your own report. ? Strengthen your written communication skills, in respect to providing feedback. ? Gain knowledge of a wider variety of topics. Guidelines for providing feedback Please also check the guidelines for providing feedback from Quick Tips 3 (Providing Feedback to Peers) ? The key directions for providing your feedback are: ? What did you find interesting about the paper and the topic? ? Were there any questions that arose in your mind about the project that did not seem to be provided in the outline? ? What aspects that you, as a reader, would like to read more about in the final paper, if you were to assess the work. ? Are there constructive suggestions or creative ideas that you have about how the project might be developed? Progress Report Feedback Example 1 – For Julie from Ann Title of student’s work: Virtual VET teams: A voyage to success across time, space and organisational Feedback from Ann Julie – In reference to your progress report. I liked your title the first time, I saw it first as time being a barrier rather than a time zone. After reading your thoughts about the title in this progress report I can see that there might be some confusion but certainly not too confusing to the reader. Certainly by the time I read through your project ideas I was not confused about the time factor. I like it as is. As for diagrams, as a reader if they succinctly demonstrate what your point is rather than many words they are a worthwhile adjunct to your report. I agree that if they are complicated and not easy to understand, I usually do not include them as they can cloud the issues raised with their complexity. 2 The introduction is comprehensive and outlines the why, where and the how of your report. The key topics that you have outlined tie in together to provide a thorough coverage of the issues around virtual teams. When you discuss the virtual teams are you looking at the development of teams over time; such as group dynamics? I think this would be a valuable aspect of the development of virtual teams for you to consider. I think Tuckman’s model (you will find a lot of references to this work through Google from textbooks about group behaviour) and/or the Johnson book below. Tuckman talks about five predictable developmental stages which he labelled forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. All teams, whether virtual or conventional teams go through these stages. I also think that you might want to consider more strongly some aspects of leadership in your report as this plays a very strong role in teams. The setting up of virtual teams within the proposed regional institutes’ merger will provide numerous challenges in sustaining these virtual teams over the coming months and years. Hopefully there will be opportunities where teams will be able to socialise in these virtual environments where the focus is not always on ‘task’ and mutual friendships can evolve. Useful references might be: Johnson, D., & Johnson, F. (1975) Joining Together: Group theory and Group skills. Boston, Allyn and Bacon. Should be available in the QUT library is a good reference for group theory, I could also send you my copy if you wish to refer to this text. Lipnack, J., Stamps, J. (1997) Reaching across space, time and organisations with technology. This is another book that you might find useful? Progress Feedback Example 2 – For Ann from Julie Title of student’s work Adults with low literacy skills can learn online with appropriate support. Feedback from Julie Isn’t it interesting how our original ideas for investigation often change when we start researching and reading the available literature? However, as you found this process is also useful to help refocus and further define our initial ideas. Although your initial title posed an interesting question that is worth answering, I think your new title is more definitive while still leaving room to encompass and answer your original question. When searching using your keywords did you also use alternatives e.g. online learning is often referred to as blended delivery or blended learning and may well return some different results. Also using advanced searches with combinations of words e.g. ‘online learning’ and ‘adult literacy’ could produce more targeted results. This search returned some interesting results for me including posing the question of expecting learners with low levels of literacy to be self-directed – often a requirement to be successful in an online environment. Will you consider the support required to assist these learners in becoming self-directed and to maintain motivation? 3 Your introduction to the final report clearly outlines the imperative to deliver online. It also acknowledges that professional development for literacy teachers will be integral to providing the support required by adults with low literacy levels to be successful in the online learning environment. Will your final report have a section specifically on professional development and how RTOs might meet this need or will this be covered in the section on ‘supporting learners online’? In the section on characteristics of adult learners, will you provide an overview of characteristics common to all adult learners and highlight those specific to adult literacy learners? I imagine adult literacy learners will have characteristics that require specific consideration. Although I believe that all online learners need teacher support and that teachers play a key role in maintaining learner motivation and engagement in learning and the environment I also acknowledge that different learners require different levels of support. You have mentioned that learners from low socio-economic backgrounds struggle to prioritize learning above work – is this an issue for students who attend face-to-face classes also? How do you think this issue will be intensified in the online environment? I like that in your section on online learning you plan to discuss the benefits and the likely difficulties and challenges. As with all modes of delivery there are advantages and disadvantages for different students. It is good to understand these as we embark on the online teaching journey as the support needed is likely to be different for individual students. Some references that might be useful to you: Terry, M. (2006). Self-Directed Learning by Undereducated Adults. Educational Research Quarterly, 29(4), 11. McPherson, M., & Nunes, M. B. (2004). The role of tutors as an integral part of online learning support. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning (EURODL, 1. Good luck with your report.