Providing+Feedback

__**Strategy**__ **__ Technology __**
 * __Providing Feedback__
 * As a teacher, providing feedback is an important aspect of ensuring that our students our learning as much possible from our lessons. According to the website, providing appropriate feedback can "make a significant difference in student achievement." The website also how important it is that feedback be provided in the right time-frame and be specific. But our their ways that we can provide feedback better than simply writing over a student's work with a red pen? Using technology to provide feedback to students is an innovative way for students to continue learning after the lesson has been taught
 * __ Wikispaces __
 * **Classroom Implementation**: When teachers assign homework or in-class assignments they usually expect students to turn in a paper copy, and feedback usually comes in the form of a number or a letter written on the paper. This kind of feedback rarely inspires students to re-think what they did or to try to improve. This is the same kind of problem when teachers ask students to turn in rough drafts of assignments. A teacher may cross things out or make notes in the margin, leaving the student to have to erase or completely re-do their work. A better way may be for teachers to set up wikipages for their students to use to submit their work. Thus allowing teachers to monitor and edit right on the page.
 * **Rationale:** Wikipages are free and relatively easy to use. A teacher could set up one space for an entire class with pages for each student or individual spaces for each student. Teachers would then be able to monitor their student's progress, edit, correct, and comment right on the page without actually disturbing the student's work. This also allows teachers to comment and make suggestions every step of the way.
 * **Resource:** To use a wikispace, student's and teachers would need computers and internet access.
 * **Cost:** Using a wikispace is free!


 * __Audacity Free Audio Editor and Recorder__
 * **Classroom Implementation:** Podcasts can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom. Students can orally compose assignments, create booktalks, or record presentations. Teachers can also use podcasts to provide feedback to their students particularly on the high school level. Often, feedback can feel impersonal, and students may not always connect in an intellectual way with the comments that the teacher has written. By digitally recording their feedback to students, teachers are given the opportunity to infuse emotion and feeling into their comments as well as incorporate new technology, which may increase student motivation.
 * **Rationale:** Audacity is a an audio recorder/editor software for computers. It is relatively easy to use and install on the computer. The software allows you to record music, sounds, or your voice as an mp3 file.
 * **Resources** : Audacity software, computers, and a microphone or recording device on your computer
 * **Cost:** Audacity software is free to download. The only cost would be if you needed to buy a microphone.

**__ Educational Challenges __**
 * __ Rubistar and Waypoint rubric software __:
 * **Classroom Implementation:** One of the best ways to ensure that your students understand what is expected of them is to create rubrics for papers and presentations. If done correctly, they offer clear, concise descriptions of what each student needs to do to earn a specific grade. Though teachers can make up rubrics themselves, there is software available that help teachers create fantastic rubric to provide students with exceptional feedback.
 * **Rationale:** Rubistar and Waypoint are software programs that help teachers create rubrics. Rubistar is very popular and has been around for quite some time. It provides teachers with templates and formats that make creating rubrics easy. Waypoint is a newer software available through the Rubistar website. This software also helps teachers create rubrics but also to publish and share interactive rubrics. The software can also help teachers create detailed data on student achievement. http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
 * **Resources:** Computers and Internet access. Teachers need to create an account on the Rubistar website
 * **Cost:** It is free to use Rubistar.
 * __Differentiated Instruction__
 * It is important for teachers today to make sure they are meeting the needs of all of their students. This is not always easy. One of the keys to differentiating instruction is providing unique feedback to help their students continue to learn. One specific issue in todays classroom are students with reading disabilities. These students may struggle reading a teacher's comments written a report that they turned in so using an audio recorder to give feedback will help alleviate this problem.
 * Rubistar can also help with this particular challenge. Because creating rubrics is so easy with this website, teachers can create multiple rubrics for the same project to make sure that all students are evaluated at their own levels.