Giving feedback

This is a short survey you give students at the beginning of your course or before any new unit or topic. It alerts students to topics the course will cover and gives them a chance to share what they already know. 

• Focus questions on the level of knowledge in the course. For example, basic facts, assumptions, understandings, or misconceptions.
• Ask about a dozen questions to gauge background in key concepts
• Use multiple-choice or true/false questions for quick results.
• Alternative: Set up an online survey in your learning management system or through a free survey website – it is a fast and easy collection of data
• Share results as soon as you can -  students will appreciate knowing the results of their input 

This is an informal report on student progress. It asks students to reflect on their own level of comfort with the material. 

• Set aside five minutes in class for students to complete
• Ask students to rate their confidence on a scale of 1 to 5 on their understanding of specific content. You can also ask them to rate how comfortable they feel going into a mid-term or exam.
• Rating their confidence encourages students to think about their  learning and where they need to improve
• Repeat at regular intervals throughout the course and review during one-to-one feedback sessions

A well-framed discussion helps you see how deeply students are thinking.

• Post questions before class so students have time to prepare their thoughts.
• Use small groups to increase participation and make students feel more comfortable.
• In large lectures, have a "reporter" from each group summarize their findings for the whole class.

In this group activity, students work together to fill in an incomplete outline of a recent lecture or chapter.

• Provide a document with missing sub-headings, key facts, or principles.
• Allocate about ten minutes to complete this task  
• Have groups of 4–5 students use their notes or textbooks to complete the outline.
• This helps students learn how to organize complex information into a study guide.
• You can ask students to share completed digital documents for a group review. Or facilitate a discussion so that students may revisit their answers. 

This activity gives students a safe way to admit when they are confused or need some additional clarification.

• Near the end of class, ask students to anonymously share which concepts still feel unclear or need more explanation.
• Use a digital whiteboard or a short online survey for quick collection.
• Use these responses to decide which topics need to be re-taught or clarified in the next session.

Concept maps are wonderful ways for students to organize their understanding of a topic in a visual way. Students are also able to share their conceptual learning. Either on chart paper or in one of the many free concept mapping web sites, students will enjoy working with their peers and being creative with the map. 

• Have students work in groups of 4-5 to draw a map connecting the major themes of the unit.
• Consider asking students to create a rough draft on their own concept map first. This might help the groups progress faster and with more discussion  
• This helps students move beyond memorizing facts to understanding the "big picture."
• Share these maps digitally or have a representative from each group share about their group's work. This allows the whole class to see different ways of organizing the same information. 

Charts help students categorize information and see relationships between different topics. These can also be used as a study guide. 

• Arrange class into small groups
• Each group creates a chart which includes only the titles and subtitles for rows and columns
• The chart might be a pro/con chart, a timeline, a comparison chart between concepts etc.
• Give groups a short amount of time to reference their notes and perform internet searches to complete the chart
• Charts can be posted online or in the virtual classroom. Students can access each chart. Or ask one student from each group to summarize their group’s chart and present to the class

A ticket out the door is a brief end of class check-in. Student submissions can be anonymous. They will give you a quick overview of what students are learning and let you see where there are gaps.

• Near the end of class, ask one or two questions about the material covered in that class. Consider one low-level (fact based) question and one higher level that requires reflection.
• Have students write their answers. To do this anonymously online consider using a digital whiteboard rather than the meeting chat. In a face to face class you can hand out post-its or scrap paper.
• You want them to spend about 2- 5 minutes answering a couple of short questions and then turn those in before they leave. 

1. Use informal "pulse checks"

Don’t wait for the midterm exam or first big assignment to see how students are doing. Use quick tools like polls, digital whiteboards, or group quizzes during class. Doing this from day one helps created a transparent learning environment.

2. Focus on the process, not the result

The "how" is as important as the "what." Help students think about how they learn (metacognition). Give them activities where they can reflect on their learning process. Ask them to think about the steps they took, rather than the grade they received.

3. Help students lead their own learning

Create a learning environment that fosters engagement and participation. This prepares students to take responsibility for their own learning. You may need to guide students in developing these skills. You can help by asking open questions like: "What help do you need?", "How can I support you better?" and "What can you do to enhance your learning experience?"   

4. Give timely feedback

Formative feedback works best when it is quick. Try to give feedback shortly after students complete an assignment. Allow enough time for students to improve their work based on feedback before resubmitting.

5. Build trust with your students

Feedback should be about growth. Students need to hear what they are doing right before they are ready to hear what to fix. Once they trust that you are there to help them learn, they will be more able to hear and apply your feedback.

6. Keep the conversation positive

Stay positive so students see feedback as a way to grow. If a student gets upset or defensive, it might be a sign that you need to change how you are delivering the feedback. A positive culture helps students want to improve.

7. Be transparent about assessment criteria

Students should know exactly how you will assess their learning. Providing a rubric before they start is one way you can do this. Referring to the rubric during feedback helps both you and the student stay on the same page.

8. Give students choices on how to receive feedback

Not every student likes the same kind of feedback. When setting up feedback conversations, offer multiple modalities. For example: in person, over video chat, on the phone or even asynchronously by email. You can also suggest that they record the meeting or take notes.

9. Be specific and be genuine

Avoid saying things like "great job" or "nice work." These don't tell the student what they actually did well. Instead, say exactly what you liked. Use phrases like "I noticed you did this..." to show them exactly what success looks like.

10. Make feedback a two-way conversation

Giving feedback shouldn't just be you talking. Encourage students to ask questions and be curious. When you set aside time for them to talk, they feel like they own their learning. It turns a lesson into a team effort.