Feedback is one of the most powerful tools teachers possess. The goal of feedback is to close the gap between where students are in the learning and where you want them to be at this point. However, not all feedback is equal. Effective feedback can have an effect size of 1.13. Ineffective feedback can actually have a negative impact on student performance. So it is important to know the difference.
Simply stated, effective feedback is timely, consistently delivered and is aligned to a specific standard. For example, “Chloe your fraction is correct. The picture shows 8 parts and your denominator is 8.” Given this feedback, Chloe has a clear picture that she is doing fractions the correct way and will be encouraged to do more.
Ineffective feedback is general, vague and doesn’t lead to learning. For example, “Chloe your fraction is wrong. Try again.” Given this feedback, Chloe feels discouraged to try another fraction.
For more information on feedback, see How to Give Feedback to Students: The Advanced Guide. Contact Mary Russ with any questions you may have.