Using digital tools for feedback in formative assessment of STEM learning

This paper is a collaborative qualitative research project between a Queensland university and a Brisbane secondary school to investigate the use of digital tools for feedback in STEM classrooms. Key research questions include: How are the digital tools such as OneNote, audio recording and stylus used to provide feedback? What are students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the use of digital tools for feedback? How do teachers and students respond to and utilise the feedback? Data were gathered in one independent girls’ secondary school (year levels seven to 12) from six semi-structured individual teacher interviews, six groups of student semi-structured interviews (group size two or three students) and six classroom observations of teaching, in which field notes were taken. This data was analysed using thematic coding. The study revealed that the technology enhanced the high quality teaching and feedback strategies primarily in four ways: first, it reduced the time taken for teachers to give feedback, thus allowing them to communicate with a greater number of students more regularly; second, it allowed teachers to understand each student and to treat each as an individual; third, it improved record-keeping and tracking of student work; and fourth, it made content delivery easier. This work contributes to the knowledge on the effectiveness of using digital tools for formative feedback in STEM learning