Understanding Feedback in Learning

Feedback and Reflection

• Feedback is likened to the lifeblood of learning, crucial for its continuous flow.
• Feedback is a process where learners analyze their work, identifying similarities and differences between the work and established standards. This aids in producing improved work.
• Feedback is equivalent to formative assessment, focusing on learning development rather than grading.

Purpose of Feedback

• Feedback's purpose is to foster growth and development.
• It enables reflection on what was done well and areas needing improvement.
• The process encourages reflection on "What did I do well?", "What can I develop?", and "How can I do that?"

Feedback Ladder

• Feedback reception can progress through different stages: reject, defend, explain, understand, change.

Types of Feedback

• Outlier feedback is a unique instance, often between a teacher and a student.
• Mainstream feedback is common, everyday feedback.
• Insightful feedback offers constructive ideas for improvement.

Constructive Feedback

• Effective feedback can be descriptive or evaluative, specific or general, two-sided or one-sided, solicited or unsolicited, current or historical.
• It should be relevant and constructive, not imposed.
• A two-way discussion, recognizing emotional context, is preferred to one-way input.
• Open and closed questions can be used effectively.
• Feedback should focus on behaviors rather than personal attacks.
• It should be intimate, individual, and empowering while opening doors for improvement rather than closing them. Feedback must be manageable.

What is Feedback?

• Feedback is a discussion on performance aimed at improvement.
• Sources of feedback range from teachers and supervisors to peers, books, patients, and personal reflection.
• Feedback can be a discussion, written comments, or self-assessment. Seek feedback from multiple and varied sources.

Why is Feedback Important?

• Feedback helps identify strengths and weaknesses, enabling improvement.
• Feedback from peers provides different perspectives on performance.
• Self-generated feedback fosters a self-directed learning approach.
• Giving feedback improves judgment and evaluation skills, crucial for professional settings.

How to Make the Most of Feedback

• Understand the intended learning outcomes and criteria. Align your work with the assignment's goals.

• Incorporate peer perspectives about task requirements.

• Seek specific examples of strengths and areas for development.

• Discuss feedback with teachers and peers.

• Actively seek and give feedback.

• Document and analyze feedback for future learning.

• Align your work with the criteria before submission.

Reflection, Reflective Learning, and Reflective Practice

• Reflective learning involves systematic reflection on experiences to gain understanding, rather than just problem-solving.
• Reflective learning is conscious, deliberate mental investment aimed at exploring experiences.

Importance of Reflection

• Reflection fosters professional development and meaningful learning.
• It's a valuable teaching tool in clinical settings.
• Reflective practice fosters adaptive expertise, differentiating experts from novices.
• Reflective approaches improve diagnostic accuracy in complex situations.

Schon's Model of Reflection

• Schön's model outlines five elements of reflection: knowing-in-action, reflection-on-action, surprise, experimentation, and reflection-in-action.

Skills of Reflection

• Reflection skills can be improved in supportive environments using reflective writing, appropriate mentoring, peer discussion, prior experiences, and dedicated reflection time.

Characteristics of Good Learning Contexts

• Good contexts facilitate metacognitive control, relevant activity, feedback, motivation, interconnected knowledge, social learning, and effective teaching.

This quiz explores the pivotal role of feedback in the learning process, emphasizing its importance in learner development. It covers various types of feedback, the feedback ladder, and reflective practices that encourage improvement. Understand how effective feedback can shape educational experiences.