Receiving feedback

 I'm in the process of creating my 5th class using OER materials.  Whew.  That's a lot.


This time around, I'm creating a class I haven't taught before.  When I redesigned my 1411 class I had already taught it numerous times with 2 different curricula, both excellent.  I knew what the class should feel like.  I switched over to using different materials, but it wasn't really new to me.  The same was true for the other 3 classes I redesigned.


This time around I'm creating a conversation class.  I'm at the point now where I have the scope and sequence complete and each chapter has a summary of the vocab we'll be studying.  I'm now building out the drill assignments.  


When I build assignments I like to label them as "drill" or "apply."  With a drill assignment, students know they are practicing the information at a very basic comprehension level.  


Today I wrote a drill assignment and just wasn't sure if it was good.  I asked my 15-year-old son who hasn't taken Spanish yet to do it.  He did and gave me excellent feedback.  


He said the assignment was fine but an element of it was confusing.  At first I defended why I chose to build the assignment that way but he said if I changed that element the assignment would be great.  With 1 click I could fix the issue.  I did.


I pay my sons "student worker" rates when they help me.  I used to get away with a quarter.  Today I was going to pay him .35 but I went ahead and gave him .50 since he was so helpful.  And I want to ensure he will be willing to give me good feedback in the future.


The neatest thing about all of this is he's my biggest champion with my work in OER.  He thinks it's really, really cool that my students can use materials that are free for them to use.  Me too.

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