Teacher Education Policy in Europe (TEPE) Conference (2013) Abstract Aims and rationale - Feedback is essential for learners to help consolidate their learning and can have a significant impact on their achievement. In initial teacher education, the role of the educator is to facilitate the transformation from student to teacher by providing opportunities for the development of the skills associated with effective assessment and feedback. By adopting an enquiry-based learning approach learners can be encouraged to reflect on their own practice and that of others. The transfer of these skills, developed in a tutor-mediated and supported environment, has been shown through this research to impact on the students’ reflections as emergent teachers. Technology has been recognised as providing effective support for both assessment and feedback. The research involved small groups of students discussing and providing written feedback on students’ work by annotating images using iPads. Students then reflected on the feedback they had received. The value and effectiveness of this feedback was considered in a mediated discussion with tutors. Methodology & research questions - Can mobile technologies support the development of effective assessment and feedback? Can these assessment and feedback skills developed in a supported environment impact on students’ reflections on their own classroom practice? Data was collected for a case study through: observation of students and in discussion with them during workshops focusing on peer feedback using an image annotation application using iPads; an online questionnaire. Qualitative analysis of student verbal and written reflections on-practice and in-practice provided an insight into social constructivist and cognitive apprenticeship models. Research findings - Students engaged confidently and enthusiastically with the technology; The quality of feedback to peers improved over the course of the enquiry; A significant degree of reflexivity was evident in the students’ comments on the feedback they received.

1. Enhancing the formative assessment environment through the
use of mobile technologies
Anita Backhouse, Ian Wilson, Daniel Mackley

2. The Research
• An 8 month practitioner research study;
• A collaboration between tutors (Anita and Ian), second year
undergraduate students and the Technology Enhanced
Learning (TEL) Adviser (Daniel);
• Focus on enhancing peer review and feedback.
Research questions
• Could the use of mobile technology applications enhance the
peer-review and feedback process?
• Could a practitioner-research approach enhance the students’
pedagogical awareness and engagement with peer-review
and feedback?

3. The Formative Assessment Model
Science-themed
school assembly
30 min science
lesson
Science-themed
classroom display
-
Peer assessment and
feedback using
Notability
Peer assessment and
feedback using
eClicker or Socrative
Peer assessment and
feedback using
eClicker or Socrative

4. Organisation
• 140 student participants in 5 teaching groups
• 20 iPads
• Notability , eClicker and Socrative applications pre-
installed on the iPads
Data was collected and analysed from observation and
discussion notes and questionnaires across the period
of the study.

6. An image is taken of the display and
imported into Notability ready to be
annotated.
After annotation the file is saved as
a pdf and exported to Dropbox.

11. Findings
• Students’ level of engagement with peer review and
feedback increased significantly when using the iPads
(100% engagement when iPads were used);
• The students became critical reflectors of the technology
and of the peer assessment process;
• The students valued the impact that giving feedback had
on their own assessment attitudes and practice – they
became more reflexive;
• However, the students felt that receiving peer feedback
had less impact on the quality of their own work.

12. Considerations
• The ownership model for management and deployment
of the iPads has an impact on usability in the classroom;
• The quality of wifi connection has a significant impact on
the time it takes to provide feedback and this in turn
impacts on the level of student engagement;
• It is important to listen to student feedback about how
well they feel the technology is meeting their needs;
• In order to foster critical engagement with the
technology, it is important for all the users to be given
time to explore and investigate the hardware and
applications.

13. References and acknowledgements
Big Nerd Ranch (2012) eClicker Presenter (version 1.0.13) [Mobile application software] Available from:
http://itunes.apple.com [Accessed 30 September 2012]
Big Nerd Ranch (2012) eClicker Audience (Version 1.0.4) [Mobile application software] Available from:
http://itunes.apple.com [Accessed 30 September 2012]
Gingerlabs (2012) Notability (Version 4.42) [Mobile application software] Available from:
http://itunes.apple.com [Accessed 30 September 2012]
Socrative (2013) Socrative Teacher [Mobile application software] Available from http://www.socrative.com
[Accessed 15 March 2013]
Socrative (2013) Socrative Student [Mobile application software] Available from http://www.socrative.com
[Accessed 15 March 2013]
Vu, T. T. and Dall'Alba, G. (2007) Students’ experience of peer assessment in a professional course. Assessment
& Evaluation in Higher Education, 32 (5), pp. 541-556.
Many thanks to Abi Sowerby, Naomi Richardson, Louise Connelly, Beth Millar, Mollie Benefer, Bryony
Cunningham, Rachel Rawcliffe and Nicole King for allowing us to show their work.