3 Considerations for Giving Better Feedback

A resounding sigh of relief echoes through the virtual classroom as your students submit their midterm writing assignments. Simultaneously, you draw a sharp inhale - it’s now time to grade these papers. Time is scarce (or non-existent), yet you owe it to your students to deliver meaningful feedback. You ask yourself: What makes feedback meaningful? How can I ensure my feedback helps my students move towards their goals and doesn’t leave them feeling defeated? The type, tone, and timing of your feedback influence how your students interact with it, so before launching your grading application, take a moment to consider these characteristics. 

Type

Feedback often takes a corrective lens, informing students whether or not their work met the requirements. While this can be helpful, feedback that asks clarifying questions and makes suggestions for improvement is far more powerful. Open a dialogue with students by asking questions like “Does this paragraph support your main argument?” or “Have you come across any evidence to the contrary?” Including suggestions for improvement - e.g.: “Elaborating on this point would strengthen your argument” - is also helpful in stimulating critical and reflective thinking.

Tone

Maintaining a positive, constructive tone gives students the confidence to address complex problems in the future. Praise and encourage how students processed the task, such as their effort or learning strategies. For example, statements like, “Incorporating personal interviews to support your argument was a great approach!” motivate students to keep trying new learning strategies. Avoid directing praise at the “self,” however, (e.g., “You are so creative!”) as it has little value in facilitating learning.

Timing

Even the best feedback is only useful if students receive it with enough time to use and implement it before their next assignment. But there is no need to rush. Students do recognize the time constraints on faculty and are more concerned with receiving quality feedback in time for the next assignment more so than receiving less helpful feedback as quickly as possible. Be mindful of your course’s assignment cadence so you can be sure your meaningful feedback is timely!

Feedback should be more than a one-way transmission of information. Taking the type, tone, and timing into account starts a feedback dialogue with your students. This conversation establishes a space for critical and reflective thinking, innovative ideas, and deeper learning. 

References:

Bayerlein, L. (2014). Students' feedback preferences: how do students react to timely and automatically generated assessment feedback?. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 39(8):916-931.

Guasch, T., Espasa, A., Martinez-Melo, M. (2018). The art of questioning in online learning environments: the potentialities of feedback in writing. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 44(1):111-123.

Hattie, J. & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1):81-112.

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