Modifying Feedback

Whenever I think of feedback I always assume that the feedback I am receiving or giving needs to be something that aids in the other individual's growth in some way. I think that is what feedback is all about is for the growth of an individual but what I didn't really think about is how the way feedback is presented or given can really determine how effective the feedback is. In the article, "Preventing Feedback Fizzle," the author mentions how students often take feedback as if it is an evaluation of their work rather than descriptive. Feedback should be something that students can use immediately and be allowed to modify their performance without the fear of a consequence for their attempts. The article focuses strongly on how the approach and wording of feedback is crucial for how students react to the feedback. I think this is especially important because I know that when I am giving feedback to students that it can often come across as evaluative when I don't mean it to be. I also think a really helpful idea from the article is how setting clear learning objectives and expectations from the beginning is crucial for effective feedback. In order for students to understand that the feedback they are receiving is indeed feedback, they must understand what the end goal is first. This is another thing I need to work on because as I am continuing to steer away from lecturing, I am asking students to think more abstractly and theoretically when circling around answers that I am trying not to explicitly tell them. It often creates confusing task and learning objectives so being clear and concise is something I need to work on.