What do I prioritize when I am giving students feedback? Great question! I would say that the most important characteristics of effective feedback would be...
- Timely
- Focused/ specific
- Opportunity for correction
Timely: feedback needs to be given while the information is still fresh in students' minds. This also allows potential misconceptions to be addressed before they become more solidified in student minds.
Focused/ Specific: The feedback should address specific questions, misconceptions, problems, data, or content. Giving broad feedback decreases the efficacy and may confuse or overwhelm students. Trying to give the student too many critiques at once will also serve to confuse or overwhelm.
Opportunity for Correction: It is not enough for feedback to be given without the opportunity to re-work something, such as student work. Feedback that is verbal or written may quickly leave the student's mind unless they are able to use it.