Getting feedback on STEM activities

Welcome to ‘Using Feedback to Improve’, the fourth and final course in the Inspiring Young People in STEM program.

How do you know whether you have met the objectives when doing STEM activities, not only your objectives but those of your employer, the volunteering programme and the needs of the young people and the educator? Self-reflection is important: asking ourselves what went well and whether there is anything which can be improved on for the future. However, self-reflection only goes part way to giving you the answer. Who else can give you feedback?

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Use different tools with groups of young people to obtain immediate feedback about practical STEM activities.
• Reflect on feedback to improve presentation skills with young people and the effectiveness of the STEM activity.
• Contribute towards employer and programme evaluation of STEM volunteering activities.
• Identify further opportunities for professional development and skills development relating to volunteering and inspiring young people in STEM subjects.

Orientation

If you’re new to online learning, or new to FutureLearn, you may find the How it works guide helpful. The Crowdsourced Guide to Learning and Six tips and tools for social learning on FutureLearn may also be of interest.

As you progress through the course you will be asked to undertake several tasks each week. You will have the opportunity to:

• Try out approaches to gathering feedback
• Discuss ideas with fellow learners
• Reflect on your learning

Tasks and discussions

Tasks are titled as such and are highlighted with a vertical line in the left-margin – like the one against this paragraph. The first tasks of this course are at the bottom of this page.

Learning together

Get started

Introduce yourself

To get us started, say hello, who you are, and what volunteering role you have in the comments below.

Mark complete

When you complete a step on the course, click ‘Mark as Complete’ at the bottom right. This helps you keep track of your progress. Mark over 90% of the course steps complete and you’ll be eligible for a Certificate of Achievement when you Upgrade.