 Providing Constructive Feedback |
|
Constructive feedback – An essential element
of formative assessment
Formative feedback is essential if learning is to
take place. Students need to know how well or how
poorly their learning is proceeding, where they
might be going wrong, in what ways and what aspects
of their learning can be improved. Feedback can
also motivate students by reassuring them when they
are correct, and where they might be doing particularly
well. Gibbs
and Simpson have suggested some essential conditions
with regard to timing, quality, and quantity of
feedback. Baume
proposed a “Feedback Sandwich” to motivate
students: Start with the good news, then tell them
the bad news in a constructive way, finish on an
encouraging note.
Characteristics of constructive feedback
-
Informative
Identifying strengths, weaknesses and ways to
improve
-
Criterion-referenced
Relating to subject objectives
-
Motivating
Giving encouragement whenever possible
-
Timely
As soon as possible
Some useful guidelines for giving feedback
-
A continuous process in teaching
and learning
-
Return all assessment scripts
to students
-
Clear and precise comments
to individual student work
-
Include both positive and
critical comments
-
Be constructive, give advice
on how to improve
-
Be organised in giving feedback
e.g. separate / structure feedback sheet in relation
to assessment criteria involved
-
Open discussion and clarification
of common mistakes or misconceptions
-
Appropriately identify good
performance for students to learn from each other
-
Be communicative – provide
opportunity for discussion with students
-
Write legibly
|
|
