Constructive teacher feedback for enhancing learner performance in mathematics

[摘要] English: South Africa's participation in international achievement studies in recent years has served as a useful benchmark for learner performance in mathematics. The analysis of learning achievement against national and international benchmarks indicates that an improvement in the quality of learning output remains one of the biggest challenges facing the South African education system. Finding ways to improve learner performance in mathematics should thus be a critical priority for all stakeholders. The extant literature proposes that strengthening the practice of using assessment for formative purposes results in significant learning gains. The value of positive and constructive feedback to learners during the process of assessment is advocated by a number of studies, yet few studies focus on investigating the use of feedback strategies in a mathematics classroom context, or reflect on the contextual realities that may impact on the provision of feedback to learners. In this research a case study was conducted in the classrooms of two primary school mathematics teachers in order to explore evidence of feedback strategies used in their classrooms and the factors that may have an impact on their ability to provide constructive feedback to learners. The study also examined the contextual realities at classroom level that may impede on the use of constructive feedback to enhance learning. The teachers were observed in their classrooms and follow-up interviews were conducted. Samples of the teachers' documents and the learners' work were used to evaluate the teachers' feedback strategies and provide practical suggestions. The qualitative data was used to explicate findings from the literature review and enabled the study to provide recommendations pertaining to the provision of feedback to learners.

[发布机构] University of the Free State