How, why, and when feedback is most important

Feedback is an essential part of education. Without specific, timely feedback students miss out on opportunities to either improve on already developing skills/knowledge or get their development off the wrong path. There are times when immediate feedback is most effective, but in other circumstances long term feedback can work as well. Students should also be asked to give feedback. Feedback can be between peers or it could be directed toward the teacher. There are times when it can be possible to alternate the direction of the feedback from teacher to student, to student to teacher.

Peer feedback is useful because it allows the teacher time for observation and, given that the students are performing the feedback with their best effort, then students get advice or constructive criticism from a place they might be more comfortable with. Some would consider the notion that peer feedback may not always be so effective: “However, a number of concerns about peer review have been raised… some students worry about harming interpersonal relationships” (Wu 2021) The same document suggests: “Such problems can be solved by anonymous peer review, which decreases bias and enables students to evaluate others’ work in a non threatening environment”.

A blending of peer and teacher feedback can be useful as well. For example, a teacher gives directions for a new assignment. The students work independently at first and upon finishing the assignment, the students break out into peer feedback. Once the students have received some direction, they can make some edits and then get feedback from the teacher. For the teacher, this may not be so much corrective feedback at this point, but supportive, possibly even congratulatory because the assignment has already completed a round of vetting.

Positive/Supportive feedback can contribute so much to a student’s confidence. If students always receive corrective feedback then they don’t learn to think for themselves or trust their own ideas. “From a motivational perspective, feedback is mainly considered to influence dependent variables like intrinsic motivation, locus of control, self-efficacy, or persistence. For these outcomes, the average effect is low. A possible explanation from motivation theory is that feedback can have negative effects on motivation by reducing the experience of autonomy and self-efficacy when it is controlling, negative and uninformative” (Wisniewski 2020)

Timely, informative feedback is an essential tool for teachers at all levels. Students need the support, corrective, supportive, or otherwise. “...it can be stated that teacher feedback, whether or not combined with peer discussions, improves learning outcomes. However, the largest learning gains occur when peer discussions are immediately followed by teacher feedback.” (Molin 2021) It is important to balance the good with the bad when it comes to feedback so that students get what they need on an educational and emotional level.

Resources

Molin, F., Haelermans, C., Cabus, S., Groot, W. (2021) Do feedback strategies improve students’ learning gain?-Results of a randomized experiment using polling technology in physics classrooms. Computers & Education. Volume 175, December 2021, 104339. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131521002165

Wisniewski, B., Zierer, K., Hattie, J. (2019) The Power of Feedback Revisited: A Meta-Analysis of Educational Feedback Research. Sec. Educational Psychology Front. Psychol. Volume 10 - 2019. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03087/full

Wu, Y., Schunn, C. D. (2021) The Effects of Providing and Receiving Peer Feedback on Writing Performance and Learning of Secondary School Students. American Educational Research Journal Vol. 58, No. 3, pp. 492–526. https://www.lrdc.pitt.edu/schunn/papers/Wu-Schunn-AERj2021-learning.pdf