Discussion post from a team followed by my feedback (using the

Ladder of Feedback)
Assignment Post for AOU KUW - Team 03
Kamal Mahmood - 06/05/2011 09:27 PM
The main idea we like from this session note and chapter (6) is that teachers should take into
consideration the issue of performances of understanding while preparing their lesson plans.
We as a team think that understanding in general means "seeing things from the same or a
similar perspective", e.g. when I have a conversation with someone and I ask him "do you
understand me?", Here I'm telling him "do you see it the way I see it". However in learning,
understanding means "the ability to re-say or re-write what we learn in our own words
using our own style of spoken or written language".
As a performance of understanding model, we can ask our students in a 50 minute class to
spend the first 10 minutes to read a specific chapter from their textbook, then during the
next 10 minutes they listen to a teacher explaining the same chapter using his own
PowerPoint presentation, followed by another 10 minutes to watch a video clip on the
same chapter using different language (structure and vocabulary). After being exposed to the
same chapter through three different mediums (textbook PowerPoint Video), the students
should be asked during the last 20 minutes to reflect on those three mediums and convey the
main concept tackled in that chapter using their own words.
Our group prefers this performance of understanding model as it considers the individual
differences amongst students. Here, each student is given a chance to express himself and
convey the message using his own words. unlike those performances mentioned in chapter 6
of the course guide where individual differences were ignored..
Contributed by:
Kamal - Nay - Ahmad

>>

Re: Assignment Post for AOU KUW - Team 03

Kristina Peachey - 06/06/2011 11:11 AM

Dear AOU KUW Team 3Thanks so much for your post. I'll use the ladder of feedback in my response to you.
clarify: You said that in the performances of understanding described in CH 6 individual
differences were ignored. What makes you say that?
value: I agree that rephrasing (or paraphrasing?) may be one important way to show
understanding of a text. I like to stop frequently in my classes and have my students explain

Comment [T1]: Probing to help

participants develop evidence-based
reasoning.

to each other the main points of our discussion so I can rotate and check their individual level
of understanding as I listen to them talk.
concern: I wonder if it is ever possible to rephrase something without understanding
it. Would there be any drawbacks to ONLY using rephrasing as a Performance of
Understanding (PoU)?
suggest: In our text on p. 67 it mentions that PoUs should offer students a range of ways to
'perform' understanding. What are some other PoUs that you might use so students can
show their understanding of a reading or lecture?
Cheers,
Kris

End of course feedback for a team about the unit planner they
designed in the course (and also got coach feedback each session
when they added another element of the framework). As the
team had already received peer feedback I wanted to value that so
I began my response referring to it. I did not structure my
feedback according to the Ladder of Feedback strictly, as my
purpose at this stage was to mainly be positive with one or two
nuggets of suggestions for future consideration.

Kris Peachey
Aug 27, 2016
Redlands Team 3,
Its so interesting to hear the feedback from your peers. Strengths of the unit such
as the 'big understanding' of symbols and sensitivities regarding this, the role of
multiple perspectives, and having a guest speaker (or the suggested practical arts
workshop led by an Indigenous artist) have already been highlighted in the
responses your unit generated.
Let me think through each element of the framework again to structure my
feedback.
Generative Topic- You have done a very thorough explanation of the generative
topic considering its importance, how it will engage the students, how this unit
connects to previous units and other subjects and you have made excellent use of

Comment [T2]: Sharing a personal

experience from my teaching.

Comment [T3]: Offering a different

perspective. Inviting participants to dig
deeper.
Comment [T4]: Connecting to course
content.

resources including artwork in your school and an indigenous community

member. Bravo!
Understanding Goals- Your understanding goals focus on important
understandings including by how (methods and forms) and why (knowledge and
purpose). I appreciate that the goals focus on misconceptions you have noticed in
the students from previous teaching experience. My only concern is what I
expressed earlier. I wonder if it is necessary to have both UG2 and UG3 since by
performance view of understanding if the students understand how indigenous
artists create their work then they should be able to apply those techniques and
ideas to their own artwork. Perhaps one goal would suffice.
Performances of Understanding- Great progression of PoU from low-risk,
open-ended to more challenging. The learning experiences actively engage the
students and require students to think with and about the content. I appreciate
your use of Thinking Routines as well. The Culminating Performances offer two
unique ways for students to show their understanding. I wonder if there would be
any opportunity for students to create some artwork before the culminating PoUs so
they could get some feedback before this end stage of the unit.
On-going Assessment- Each PoU has a clear assessment plan. The assessment
comes both during and after the PoU. Assessment happens both informally and
formally (good progression of this) and also by the students themselves, peers and
teachers. You have begun outlining what a high level of understanding might look
like which will be helpful for the assessors. Youve also indicated where a rubric
might be used. Well done!
This unit will of course continue to evolve once it becomes live. I really appreciate
the thoughtfulness you have put into designing it and the way youve really made
your thinking visible to us on the outside.
All the best,
Kris