Teachers’ provision of written formative feedback to enhance learning in a secondary school: the case of an English classroom in Uganda.
Date of Award
11-2015
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Education (MEd)
First Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Joyce Ndalichako
Department
Institute for Educational Development, East Africa
Abstract
In the Ugandan education system, usually formative assessment and written formative feedback are synonymous with tests and examinations. As a result teachers tend to emphasize high grades and scores instead of the learners‟ learning. This study aimed at exploring the teachers‟ provision of written feedback on the learners‟ work in a senior one English language classroom in a secondary school in Eastern Uganda. Particularly the study considered the teachers‟ views about written feedback, how the written feedback the teachers provide on the learners‟ work enhances learning and the challenges that are faced by both the teachers and the learners during the provision and receiving of written feedback respectively. The qualitative study employed interviews and document analysis for data collection. Data were collected, organized, coded, interpreted, analyzed and discussed. The participants in this study comprised of two English language teachers of senior one and two for the face to face interviews. There were twelve senior one learners; six for the FGD interview and the other six for the one on one interview. The findings revealed that the written feedback predominantly provided by the teachers on the learners‟ work consisted of brief evaluative remarks for verification of learning instead of supporting learning. The teachers‟ biggest challenge was provision of written feedback to large classes. Basing on the findings, the study recommends that the teachers adopt the provision of descriptive and supportive written feedback. The teachers should guide learners into setting learning goals for gauging their learning progress. Finally, teachers should embrace contemporary pedagogy such as collaborative and cooperative learning to mitigate the challenge of providing written feedback to learners in big classes.
Recommended Citation
Bagonza Justine. (2015). Teachers’ provision of written formative feedback to enhance learning in a secondary school: the case of an English classroom in Uganda. (Unpublished Masters Thesis). Dar es salaam: Aga Khan University