Definition of Feedback
Feedback is the information given to the learners about their performance of a learning task, academic development, etc., usually intending to improve these performances.
Feedback is designed to bring about an improvement in learners’ performance and achievement. Feedback can be given by the practitioner or by peers. It can be either formal or informal. It can be oral or written, it can be formative or summative, but overall it must provide the learner with specific advice on how to improve their performance. |
|
|
Positive and Negative Feedback
efficient |
INEFFICIENT |
It is essential that the process of providing feedback is positive, or at least a neutral, learning experience for the student. Positive feedback motivates students and encourages them to continue recognizing a specific action/behavior. |
Negative feedback can discourage student effort and achievement. Instructors have the distinct responsibility to nurture a student’s learning and to provide feedback in such a manner that the student does not leave the classroom feeling defeated. |
- Balance the content: It is important to provide the recipient with balanced feedback regarding their strengths and opportunities for growth. |
- Feedback that lacks context: Not contextualized feedback can be confusing and unhelpful. It is important to provide specific examples and context to help the recipient understand the feedback and apply it in the future. |
- Offer continuing support: Feedback should be a continuous process, not a one-time event. After offering feedback, make a conscious effort to follow up. |
- Overwhelming feedback: Giving too much feedback at once can be overwhelming and difficult to process. It is better to provide specific feedback on a few key areas at a time. |
|
|
RECOMMENDATIONS
Do it in private |
Be timely |
Focus on one or two things |
Most importantly, make sure you’re always giving feedback in private. Public feedback can quickly turn into negative feedback, even if that isn’t your intention. |
The goal of feedback is to help the other person improve. To do that, make sure you’re giving feedback in a timely manner. Avoid giving feedback on something that happened more than two weeks ago, since the incident is no longer timely and relevant. |
Even with constructive feedback and “I” statements, avoid sharing feedback about more than one or two things at a time. If you try to give feedback about too many things at once, you might accidentally trigger the other person’s defensiveness. |
|
|
Techniques (3) for giving feedback
Be Specific |
Provide Specific Suggestions |
Talk About Positives Too |
Tell the person exactly what he needs to improve. This ensures that you stick to facts and there is less room for ambiguity. |
You may not agree on everything, so it is a good idea to ask the person to give her perspective. |
A good rule is to start off with something positive. This helps put the person at ease. It will also allow her to "see" what success looks like and what steps she needs to take next time to get it right. |
Try not to exaggerate to make a point. Avoid words like "never", "all," and "always" because the person will likely get defensive. |
Use phrases like, "What is your reaction to this?" or "Is this a fair representation of what happened?" |
Try to use phrasres like, "I appreciate the extra effort you put into X project yesterday", "You're doing a great job!". |
|
