Assessment Post 5: Hattie

John Hattie is an educational theorist concerned with improving student performance through the use of feedback and outcomes based learning. Hattie asserts that feedback is one of the most important factors in a students learning and development but notes that it can have both positive and negative effects on learning depending on the time at which the feedback is provided. Constructive criticism given at the wrong time can result in a dramatic loss of confidence for a student and will not achieve the desired rectification of their mistakes and development in their learning. Alternately given at the right time feedback can strengthen an individuals will to achieve outcomes and improve the standard of their work. Consequently the time at which feedback is provided is crucial to the learning process ( http://web.ebscohost.com.ipacez.nd.edu.au/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=113&sid=77cb6288-871d-4424-b04f-f935cecc996d%40sessionmgr106 ). Obviously to me as a teacher Hattie’s research is vital because it demonstrates the value of feedback and through that the value of assessment in the learning process. Whilst assessment has a necessary role in gauging the degree of learning that is taking place within our students, the feedback generated by assessment should be carefully considered. For example marking a student without comment is impersonal and may lead the student to believing that they are considered only on a formal level. If I provided the student with a personalized comment and asserted my confidence in their ability, regardless of their result, I believe that I would improve the chances of learning from that task and in the future. This is also Hattie’s belief.
Hattie is also concerned with the idea that teachers should be improving teacher practice and not reproducing past attitudes, such as classroom engagement rather then learning. Hattie believes in an approach that uses such engagement as a path to learning, asserting that the learning is the important part of this process with engagement merely a catalyst for it. This is also my belief; teachers must be held responsible for the learning achieved in their classroom. A teacher cannot be judged effective merely by engaging with their students if no learning is occurring. The best teachers will approach teaching in a way in which relationships are strengthened, students are valued, the students are focused and engaged and consequently outcomes and learning are achieved ( http://www.knowledgewave.org.nz/forum_2003/speeches/Hattie%20J.pdf ).