Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1487796
Slide at left shows various folders an educator can set up for their comments; at right, teacher comments for specific assignments that can be inserted with a single keystroke. history. "What used to take hours now takes 25 minutes." Teachers aren't the only ones reaping the rewards; stu- dents also benefit. "My students know exactly what is expected of them, whether they are making progress and what to do next," says Gomez. " The feedback I got on my assignments showed me that my teachers valued what I had to say," says student Navie Davila. " The feedback was so specific that it made me like writing even more because I could tell that I was improving." "At first, it's an adjustment," says Stein, who teaches English, "because students aren't used to receiving specific, early feedback, some panicked initially. But now they 're accustomed to it. Since giving and receiving quality feedback becomes part of the classroom culture, they begin to under- stand how to construct their own feedback that is focused and clear. It makes the class culture very open, kind and growth-oriented." It is also a great tool for teacher collaboration, she notes. PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) at her school work together to create comments and criteria for specific grade levels and subject matter using Keyset. The cost is $39.99 per year per teacher, with discounts for bulk subscribers such as Upland Unified School District, which purchased licenses for teachers in grades 3-12. So far, a total of nearly 400 licenses have been issued. The program offers video tutorials, email support, a Facebook community and a free course on Principles of Effective Feedback, which includes: • Directing feedback toward the task, not the student; • Tailoring feedback to match students' level of understanding; • Connecting feedback to learning goals; • Providing resources to students; • Giving students time to act on feedback. Stein and Gomez began working on the app in 2018, and officially launched in 2020, just as the pandemic began. They continue to fine-tune and update Keyset for ease and efficiency, and showcased the app at the Computer Using Educators (CUE) Confer- ence last year in Palm Springs. "In trying to develop my students' ana- lytical writing skills, I have found myself providing the same constructive feedback on student papers for years," says CFA member Rob Thomas, a social studies teacher at Claremont High. "Keyset has allowed me to provide consistent and effective feedback in less than half the time." "I love that my feedback quality does not change when I am nearing the end of a grading session," says CFA member Maria Zavala, who teaches English at Claremont High. " With Keyset, all of my students receive the same high-quality feedback." For more information, visit getKeyset.com. "It allows me to provide constructive, specific feedback to students and have more 'me time.' What used to take hours now takes 25 minutes." —Jennifer Gomez 29 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 3