One helpful tool that you can use when providing feedback on student work is the RISE (Reflect, Inquire, Suggest, Elevate) Model of Meaningful Feedback opens in new window created by Emily Wray in 2013. The model is aligned with Bloom’s thinking levels taxonomy and works well for both peer-to-peer feedback and instructor feedback to students. If you want to learn more about how you can use the RISE model in your class, watch this 5-min. video.
Raise to a higher degree of purpose in future iterations
Example: “Perhaps you can expand this in X capacity to further address Y” OR “Perhaps you could re-purpose X as Y for Z?”
Introduce Ideas for Improvement of current iteration
Example: “You might consider tweaking X for Y effect” OR “You might want to include supporting information from X resource – Here’s a link?”
Recall, ponder and communicate
Example: “I relate/concur/disagree with X because…” OR “I liked what you did with X because…”
Seek Information and/or provide ideas through questioning.
Example: “Have you considered looking at X from Y perspective?” OR “When you said X, am I to understand that you mean XY?”
Figure 6. Wray, E. (n.d.). RISE Model for Meaningful Feedback.
Retrieved October 14, 2015, from risemodel.com opens in new window
Ultimately there needs to be a good balance between formative and summative assessment- we need both! Formative assessment gives students the opportunity to know how they are progressing towards their desired learning goal, while summative assessment forms the basis of the final evaluation of performance and is necessary for course advancement.
Every course has key concepts that students have difficulty grasping. Examples of difficult concepts include: cell division (biology), time dilation (physics), illusion of causation (psychology), application of Newton's Third Law (introductory mechanics), or deconstruction (English literature).
Choose a difficult concept or thinking skill from a required or frequently offered undergraduate course in your department. Explain what it is about the nature of the concept/skill that makes it difficult for students to learn. Using the Formative Assessment Activity template (.doc), develop a formative assessment that uncovers student thought processes, reveals possible misunderstandings or allows students to gain a better understanding of the concept or to practice a skill that you want them to develop.