Providing Student Feedback

As a Dean, one of the number one complaints I hear from students is: "My instructor doesn't give me enough feedback." And really, there's probably no such thing as too much feedback. Of course when you have 150 students in a semester, it's difficult to provide as much feedback as each student might like. Nevertheless, here are some ideas on how to provide more feedback to your students.

From: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/teachingtips.htm

It seems that no matter what college faculty do, students perceive that they aren't getting enough feedback. Some faculty make the following suggestions:

1. Give short quizzes over the day's material.

2. Have students grade objective quizzes and tests in class to provide more immediate feedback.

3. Reward successful behavior with verbal praise, an honor roll, or personal notes.

4. As a motivator, post all students' grades in bar chart form (using assigned student numbers rather than names to insure confidentiality). Unsuccessful students often see that others are succeeding and seek help.

5. Give midterm grades and offer suggestions for improvement.

6. Keep your gradebook current and encourage students to check it regularly.

7. Give a test early in the term (i.e. during the second or third week of the quarter). Return it the next class day. Discuss the answers and allow students to ask questions in class.

8. Ask students to critique each others' papers, projects or essay test answers for readability and/or content.

9. Discuss or post answers to ungraded quizzes or homework problems.

10. Ask that students write questions at the end of a lesson. Answer them individually in writing or discuss them during the next class.

11. Encourage students to use study groups to solicit feedback on their comprehension of class material.

12. Establish an atmosphere that is open and safe for students to ask questions that will help check their understanding of materials covered in class or reading assignments. Start each class with a question & answer session.

Student Feedback: Handle with Care

Students are people, too. :)

It's important to keep that in mind when you provide feedback on essays, tests, and other assignments.

I was always taught to say something positive before saying anything "negative." This can seem somewhat artifical, though, and students have probably picked up on this "trick."

Below are some things to keep in mind when providing student feedback.

From: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/teachingtips.htm

1. Handle with care.
Use a "desire to help" attitude with the student.

2. Focus your attention.
Don'st split your focus with any other activity (e.g. incoming phone calls beepers, etc.) while delivering feedback.

3. Be direct.
Vague or general statement don't show the student what needs to be done.

4. Stay objective.
Don't guess or assume that you know why the student is doing something. Stick to what's factual, and withold judgments about the student's behavior

5. Watch your timing.
Feedback is processed most effectively when you deliver it promptly, so that whatever incident you're discussing is gresth in both your minds. Feedback that is saved up over tiem can confus and anger the student.

6. Feedback should be easy to act upon.
Offer realistic suggestions and options for change that the student can put into use right away. Don't hammer away at things beyond everone's control.

7. Involve the student in corrective action.
Allow the student to work collaboratively with you to come up with some options for change. The more the student feels empowered, the more likely the chances of behavior change.

"Open-Mike for Students"

As I continue to learn and adjust to the online learning environment, I have found one particular practice useful as an instructor, and, I hope, empowering for the students.(**This is not my original idea, but unfortunately, I cannot find the source offhand)

I create one discussion forum topic, entitled WGAD, or "Who Gives a Darn?," where students might anonymously ask any question or make any comment (using proper net manners, of course) about the course. I will then do my best to answer their question in an affirming way-if I set up the course in a particular way, my students are certainly deserving of knowing why I did so.

In my class, I may have assigned certain readings (or number of readings), assignments, papers, analysis or thought pieces, that may seem irrelevant or "busy work" to one or more students. This discussion topic, then, gives the student the opportunity to freely ask about the issue in question, or offer constructive criticism, etc., anonymously; otherwise, they may believe their grade will suffer for asking impertinent questions or daring to question the instructor's judgment. For example, one student has asked me why we spend so much time on the founding period (I teach American Government). This is a legitimate question, and I hope that I was able to give this student a legitimate answer.

Furthermore, this forum offers a special, non-threatening discussion space about the course and online learning in general. It may alert me, as an instructor, to something that must be changed or modified. For example, one student suggested that I include a review after each section covered (e.g. the legislative branch, the executive, etc.) in order for him, as a student, to better able focus on certain important concepts that may otherwise remain hidden amongst the mountain of information, required and supplementary, presented in an online class. A good suggestion; I believe that it will be helpful to other students as well.

Finally, such a forum serves an open-mike for the students. I have yet to have students use it as a "whining board" or as a means to criticze meanly or unfairly my course's content. Instead, it empowers the student in that the student knows that he or she truly has the option to anonymously voice their concerns.