Helping students give feedback

Why is this important?

As a teacher, you have an important role to play in your students' learning and professional development. By teaching them how to give relevant feedback, you are providing them with a valuable tool that will allow them to grow and develop throughout their careers.

Feedback is a key element of learning and collaboration. By giving constructive and focused feedback, you can help your students improve their work and achieve their goals. It can also help create a culture of caring and trust within your work group, which can benefit your students' learning.

Ultimately, by teaching your students to give relevant feedback, you are giving them an important professional asset that will serve them well throughout their careers. This can help them contribute to the development of their company and gain recognition in their professional environment.

Definition of feedback

Feedback is feedback on performance or work done, which can be given by a teacher, colleague or supervisor. It can be positive or negative, and is intended to help the individual progress and improve performance.

Feedback is an important part of learning because it provides feedback on the progress and difficulties encountered by the individual. It can offer insights into how to improve one's work and show what one has succeeded in doing or what one still needs to work on. Giving feedback on a regular basis can help the individual to achieve their goals and develop.

Feedback is also important for group collaboration and cooperation. Giving constructive and positive feedback to other group members can strengthen trust and create a pleasant working atmosphere. Furthermore, by taking into account the feedback of others, one can improve one's own performance and contribute to the development of the group.

In summary, feedback is an important part of learning because it provides feedback on progress and difficulties encountered, and provides leads to improve the individual's performance. It is also important for group collaboration and cooperation.

Explain the benefits of relevant feedback?

Feedback can have many benefits for student learning. First, it can give them feedback on their work and tell them what they have done well or what they still need to work on. This can provide them with avenues to improve their performance and help them achieve their goals. 

In addition, feedback can help students develop reflexivity and self-assessment skills. By becoming aware of their strengths and areas for improvement, they can better understand their own progress and the steps they need to take to continue developing. 

Finally, feedback can increase students' motivation and commitment by showing them that their work is valued and has an impact. This can encourage them to continue their efforts and become more involved in their learning.

How do you help students give constructive feedback?

Here are some practical tips for teachers who want to help their students give constructive feedback:

  • Encourage students to focus on actions and behaviors rather than people. Instead of saying "you suck," encourage them to say "I'm having trouble understanding this part of the assignment, can you explain how you did it?"
  • Ask students to give concrete examples to illustrate their points. This will help the other person better understand what was done right and what was done wrong.
  • Encourage students to put themselves in the other person's shoes and ask the question, "How would I react if I were in their shoes?" This can help them to be more caring and to better understand the other person's difficulties.
  • Encourage students to be specific and focus on what was done well or not so well. Instead of saying "that was good," encourage them to say "I especially liked your conclusion, it was very clear and well argued."
  • Encourage students to be open and listen to the other person. This will allow them to better understand each other's points of view and to better respond to the feedback they receive.

By focusing on communication and listening, you can help your students give constructive and positive feedback that will help everyone progress and grow.

Give them examples of feedback

Feel free to give them examples of feedback. Here are some examples of relevant feedback that can help students progress and improve their work:

  • "I liked your introduction, it is very clear and well structured. It made me want to continue reading your work. Maybe you could go even further by stating your goals and explaining why your topic is important."

This feedback is positive and encouraging, and provides concrete suggestions for improvement. It also shows the student what they have achieved and how they can go further.

  • "I'm having trouble understanding this part of your work. Could you explain to me how you conducted your research and why you chose these sources? It would help me understand your process better."

This feedback is constructive and allows the student to clarify their approach and show what they did well. It also allows the student to better understand the other's difficulties and to adapt accordingly.

Conversely, you can also show them feedback that is not and explain why:

  • "It sucked."

This feedback is very negative and gives no indication of what was done well or not so well. It does not allow the student to understand what they have done well or what they still need to work on.

  • "I didn't understand your work, it's too complicated."

This feedback is very general and does not provide concrete suggestions for improving the work. It does not allow the student to understand what was done well or not so well and does not help him/her to clarify his/her approach.

  • "You've got it all wrong."

This feedback is very negative and does not take into account the student's strengths. It does not allow the student to understand what they have achieved or what they still need to work on and does not encourage them to continue their efforts.

In summary, it is important to give relevant feedback that is specific, constructive and positive and that provides concrete ways to improve the work

How to help them receive feedback "well"?

Here are some tips to help students receive feedback well:

  • Encourage them to keep an open mind and try to understand the other person's point of view. This will allow them to better handle criticism and not become defensive.
  • Encourage them to ask questions and seek clarification if they miss something. This will allow them to better understand the feedback and respond accordingly.
  • Encourage them to focus on the content of the feedback rather than their ego. Instead of feeling attacked, encourage them to think "what is this person trying to tell me and how can I use their feedback to improve my work?"

Encourage them to thank the person who gave them the feedback, even if they don't agree with it. This shows their openness and respect for the other person.
By encouraging students to have an open attitude and ask questions, you can help them receive feedback well and make the most of it.

To conclude

It is essential to give relevant and constructive feedback to help students progress and improve their work. 

To achieve this, it is important to focus on the content of the feedback and avoid subjective judgments. It is also important to give concrete suggestions for improvement and to show the student what they have achieved and how they can go further. As teachers, you can help your students to give relevant feedback by showing them how to formulate their comments in a clear and constructive way and by giving them concrete examples of relevant feedback.

 You can also encourage them to ask questions and seek clarification if they miss something, and to thank the person who gave them the feedback, even if they disagree with it. By adopting these practices, you can help your students become better evaluators and improve their learning.