So I am writing to you from Eindhoven, Netherlands!  It has been a great trip here and one of the highlights was meeting a fellow named Jan (pronounced Yawn – a derivative of John).  I had the pleasure of meeting him at Frontys, a college here in Eindhoven specializing in educating primary teachers (5yrs-12yrs).  He is the regional Innovation Manager across the Netherlands (working in five colleges, mostly in the southeast).  We discussed online learning, similarities and differences in adult education, and the software we use while teaching/learning.  The whole experience was delightful and carried on for 2.5 hrs (more than I anticipated but every minute well worth it).  I mention all of this because I truly enjoyed hearing about the assessment/evaluation protocol they use in their program.

360 Review – Not Unlike Job Performance Assessments

In the Frontys program he is leading, new teachers receive formative feedback nearly instantaneously and from various sources including the instructor, a mentor, and at least one peer reviewer.  Each of these assessors reviews the draft work product and provides in-depth feedback on its delivery, content, and overall consistency with the aim of the program.  After which, the new teachers can then make the necessary adjustments to their work product before submitting it to the instructor for final review.  I really liked this idea because the main focus was the learner producing an outstanding work product not just receiving a passing grade on the assignment.  Jan pointed out that no one would even consider submitting a work product for final review until their reviewers had essentially given them a “great job” on the feedback — thus there are no surprises when students submit their work for review.  They already know they have done well and are proud of the work they have produced.

I really like the way of centering on the learner and teaching them how to seek feedback, give feedback, incorporate feedback, and lastly take more ownership in their own studies – translating it more into actual work practices (rather than solely in academia).  I know that I will have more thoughts/ideas around this, however I am still processing our conversation – but wanted to share it while it was still fresh.