Feedback Strategies

Source: Unsplash

Caption: Two little girls playing chess

In the article Be a Mirror it is mentioned that “researchers keep finding that kids who are praised for doing well at creative task tend to stumble at the next test - and they don't do as well as children who weren’t praised to begin with.”. They explained that this happen for a few different reasons, them being:

• The pressure of keeping up with the good work
• Their interest could possibly have declined
•  They become less likely to take risks

There are some possible responses to give to kids when they do something impressive, here are three of them:

• Say nothing (praise is not necessarily needed)
• Say what you saw (something like “you did it!”)
• Talk less, ask more (questions are better the descriptions/feedbacks)

The article Five Reasons To Stop Saying “Good Job” informs that the researcher Carol Dweck (writer of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success) shows that mindsets are malleable and we can shape them with the feedbacks we give.

To do this we need to focus our feedback on the effort and the results emphasises more the growth mindset qualities. It is called “mirror” because a mirror reflects back what is there.

There are five qualities of feedback that generate a constructive (growth) mindset, they are:

• Be specific
• Focus on what the reader is doing
• Focus on the process 
• Make sure it can transfer
• Take yourself out of the feedback

By following these steps, it possible to manipulate the mindset of someone you are helping (it being learning how to read or something more advanced like creating an electric circuit).

• Write about anything you think is important related to your experience with giving feedback to other people: in school, at work, in other settings.

In general, the feedbacks I have received tend to be more direct to the point, so sometimes I do sound harsh but it's only because I going direct to the point. Honestly, I can only say that I'm very strightforward.

• Do you feel confident about giving people useful feedback?

No, I don't feel comfortable at all giving any type of feedback. I do feel it's easy to give feedbacks when it is anonymous, however I'm still not a big fan of doing it.

• Do you have some strategies you can recommend?

Sadly, no. But if you do have any strategy, please, tell me! It would be very helpful :D

• Are there some feedback strategies you are thinking you would like to try this semester?

Not really hahahah but if there is student to student feedback, please let it be anonymous! 😪🙏

Readings:

• Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset
• Five Reasons To Stop Saying "Good Job!"

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