I'd like to take advantage of my appearance at Burgundy SB with Feedback expert Stéphane Moriou to share a few thoughts with you.
In the world of education, feedback is recognized as a crucial element in improving students' skills and motivation. It's not just about correcting mistakes, but encouraging deeper reflection and guiding learners towards clear, achievable goals. This article explores good practice in feedback, drawing on current research and the resources available in ChallengeMe for teachers and students.
The importance of feedback in learning
Feedback plays a central role in the learning process. It helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses, assess themselves and adjust their learning strategies. According to Hattie and Timperley, feedback is one of the most influential factors in student success.
It is essential to prepare them for the professional world, where the ability to receive and integrate constructive criticism is indispensable. Feedback is one of the cornerstones of our approach to peer assessment.
The different types of feedback
At ChallengeMe, we use different types of feedback. To be effective, feedback needs to be varied and adapted to the specific needs of students. Here are some of the types of feedback we regularly observe:
- Feedback on work: Evaluation of presentations, internship reports, videos, etc.
- Feedback on a skill: Analysis of specific skills in group work, for example.
- Feedback on involvement: Evaluating commitment and participation in a work group
- Feedback on a presentation or simulation: Feedback on the presentation and communication style.
- Feedback on feedback: Assessment of the quality of feedback given by peers.
- Self-feedback: Encouraging self-reflection and self-assessment.
Our tools/best practices for effective feedback
Choice of evaluation criteria
The judicious choice of evaluation criteria is fundamental to effective feedback. These criteria serve as a guide for both evaluators and those being evaluated, ensuring consistency and relevance in the feedback process.
Wherever possible, evaluation criteria should be:
- Specific, avoiding generalities, e.g.
- Measurable: Each criterion must be objectively assessable. For example, "use of at least three relevant examples" is more measurable than "sufficient examples".
- Understandable: Criteria should be easily understood by all participants. Avoid technical jargon unless necessary and well explained.
Involving students in the process of defining criteria can increase their commitment and understanding:
- Co-creation: Organize sessions where students take part in developing or revising the criteria.
- Discussion: Encourage debate on the relevance and application of the criteria.
Take a look at our criteria sections here:
Feedback
Retro-feedback, also known as feedback on feedback or back-feedback, is an advanced pedagogical practice that adds an extra layer of reflection to the peer review process. This approach enables students to analyze and evaluate the quality of the feedback they receive and give, creating a deeper and richer learning loop.
Retro-feedback objectives
- Improving the quality of feedback: By reflecting on the feedback they receive, students learn to recognize what constitutes useful and constructive feedback.
- Developing metacognitive skills: This practice encourages students to reflect on their own learning and assessment processes.
- Critical thinking skills: Students develop the ability to analyze information and opinions objectively.
- Preparation for the professional world: The ability to give and receive constructive criticism is a valuable skill in many professional environments.
Retro-feedback implementation
At ChallengeMe, we've created a dedicated phase for this type of feedback. You can define evaluation criteria (feel free to use our criteria bank).
Retro-feedback is a powerful tool for deepening learning and developing critical assessment and communication skills. The benefits in terms of developing metacognitive skills and improving the overall quality of feedback make it a valuable practice in higher education.
Creating an environment conducive to feedback
A learning environment that values feedback is essential. Mistakes should be seen as learning opportunities, not failures. Encouraging students to see feedback as a personal development tool can transform their educational experience.
Preparing students for feedback is essential to maximize its impact on their learning. Start by explaining the importance of feedback in the learning process, emphasizing that it is a powerful tool for personal and professional development, not just criticism. Teach students the principles of constructive feedback. This includes the importance of being specific, objective and action-oriented. Encourage them to focus on behaviors and results rather than people, and to offer concrete suggestions for improvement.
For a more in-depth look at this topic, we invite you to watch our explainer video, which looks in detail at techniques for giving and receiving effective feedback. This resource offers practical advice and real-life examples to help students master this crucial aspect of their academic and professional development.
AI as a feedback assistant
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in improving academic feedback, and ChallengeMe is integrating these advances to enrich the student learning experience. As a feedback assistant, AI can synthesize the grades and comments received by a student, providing a clear overview of his or her performance and progress. This synthesis helps students to quickly identify areas requiring particular attention, while highlighting their strengths. By facilitating a global understanding of feedback, AI enables students to better direct their improvement efforts.
In addition, AI can assist students in writing their own feedback, providing suggestions to improve the relevance and constructiveness of their comments. For example, AI can analyze the feedback students write and suggest improvements in real time. These suggestions can include advice on specificity, balancing criticism and encouragement, and avoiding personal judgments.
By integrating these features, ChallengeMe helps students develop essential critical communication skills, while easing the burden on teachers in terms of supervision and feedback correction. AI thus becomes a valuable partner in creating a more effective and personalized learning environment.
Useful resources for further reading
For those who wish to explore the subject of feedback further, several resources and experts offer enriching perspectives:
- Podcast by Coralie Ardiet : This podcast explores the importance of feedback in peer assessment and offers practical advice on how to provide constructive feedback.
- Stéphane Moriou podcast: Another expert shares his thoughts on the impact of feedback on learning.
- Academic research: The work of researchers like Hattie and Timperley provides a solid basis for understanding the impact of feedback on learning.
- Resources for students: We have created a video to prepare students for a peer evaluation, there are several chapters around feedback
By adopting these best practices and drawing on available resources, teachers can transform feedback into a powerful learning lever. Ultimately, feedback is not just feedback, but an ongoing dialogue that enriches the educational experience and prepares students for success in their future careers.