Feedback

Feedback

Information about performance or behaviour

that leads to action to affirm or develop that
performance or behaviour
Purpose of feedback

• Enables the receiver to recognise what

they do well so they can continue doing it

• Enables the receiver to understand where he/she needs

to develop and change
Conditions for successful feedback
For students to benefit from feedback, the
student must
1. possess a concept of the goal/standard or reference
level being aimed for
2. compare the actual (or current) level of performance
with that goal or standard
3. engage in appropriate action which leads to some
closure of the gap
Sadler 1989
Conditions for successful feedback

Often point 2 is the focus of feedback and falls

short on point 3
7 principles of good feedback practice
1. facilitates the development of self-assessment
(reflection) in learning
2. encourages teacher and peer dialogue around learning
3. helps clarify what good performance is (goals,
criteria, expected standards)
4. provides opportunities to close the gap between
current and desired performance
7 principles of good feedback practice
5. delivers high quality information to students about
their learning
6. encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-
esteem
7. provides information to teachers that can be used to
help shape the teaching
Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick 2004
Tips – Before giving feedback
always ask yourself:
• What is my intention behind giving this person
feedback?
• How am I feeling about giving it?
• How is the other person feeling; if they have had a
stressful day, might be best left for another occasion.
It is important they are in the right frame of mind to
accept it

BOTH PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL CALM

Tips –Feedback rules
• timely
• selective
• balanced
• suggestions
• descriptive
• specific
• directed
Tips –Feedback rules
• timely: given as close to the event as possible
(taking account of the person’s readiness etc)
• selective: addressing one or two key issues
rather than too many at once
• balanced: good and the bad
• suggestions: not prescriptions
Tips –Feedback rules
descriptive, non-judgemental, based on
behaviour not personality

"I notice that you don’t look at people when they are talking
to you. You said you couldn’t understand why people
don’t listen to you. Do you think this might have
something to do with it?
"I think you’re selfish in that you don’t listen to anyone
else".
Tips –Feedback rules
specific or focussed, in order to focus
developmental feedback

avoid personal comments/avoid mixed messages/avoid

diffusion
Tips –Examples
“you fool! Cant you remember that I needed these accounts for the meeting
yesterday?’
“Shirley, I need the accounts for 2pm on Friday for the management meeting
later in the afternoon.”

“I would like you to take more care of your appearance in orders to make a
better impression on patients”
“You always look like you have just got out of bed but your work is good on the
whole”

‘Some of you are not achieving your performance goals. You have to improve.’
‘Richard, you have not achieved your performance goals this week. Can we
talk about it & work out some plans to improve?’
Tips –Feedback rules
directed towards behaviour that can be
changed

‘I really don’t like your face/your height/the fact that you

are bald etc’
‘It would help me if you smiled more or looked at me when
you speak’
The Impact of Feedback
The person receiving the feedback can react with:
• anger – ‘I’ve had enough of this’
• denial – this reaction often accompanies the initial shock of feedback ‘I
can’t see any problem with that’
• blame – ‘It’s not my fault. What can you expect when the patient won’t
listen?
• rationalisation – finding excuses to try and justify their behaviour ‘I’ve
had a particularly bad week’ ‘Doesn’t everyone do this?’
• acceptance
• renewed action
Feedback formats
• written/verbal individualised eg a particular
assignment

• written/verbal general feedback to a group eg on most

common errors/successes on an exam paper

• checklists/proforma eg headings of assessment criteria,

with comments below
Feedback formats
• assessment criteria grid, showing where student is
placed against each criteria

• model answers

• computerised eg multiple-choice questions

• "Off the cuff" comments from others eg "You're really

good at”
Receiving feedback
• listen carefully to what is being said
• people should be receptive to feedback and see it as
helpful.
• don’t reject it!
accept positive feedback…don’t reject it!
accept negative feedback...don’t reject it!
avoid arguing or being defensive.
Receiving feedback
• ask questions to clarify fully and seek examples is
useful.
• acknowledge the giver of feedback and show his or her
appreciation. The feedback may not have been easy to
give.
• involve mutual good will
receiver should feel that the giver isn’t their enemy
giver needs to want to help receiver develop
Receiving feedback
• it is up to the receiver what they do with feedback
• read or listen
• understand; clarification: examples and alternatives; keep notes
• try to keep feedback sheets/information together
• give it time to sink in and get into perspective and reflect
• address areas for improvement
• try not to
feel devastated by small criticisms and
try not to be defensive and make
excuses