Wise Feedback

In most of our discussion of feedback so far, we've focused on the larger context: why feedback is important, why the way it's delivered is important, etc. Now we're going to explore specific practices that are especially useful when someone isn't doing well.

What is Wise Feedback?

"Wise Feedback" is a way to deliver critical feedback which 1) establishes that the criticism is based on high standards and 2) the person delivering the feedback believes the person receiving the feedback is capable of meeting those high standards.

It is most effective as part of a learning environment where students are encouraged to see mistakes as learning opportunities.

Encouragement != Empty Praise

It's good for TAs to be encouraging, and sometimes praise can be motivational. However, empty praise does not offer meaningful feedback that students can use to improve and teaches students to expect praise no matter what quality of work they produce. Empty praise can either be a statement that is so vague that it doesn't give the student a clear idea of what they did well or an unrealistically positive assessment of the student's performance.

Some examples of empty praise:

• "You did a great job!" (when clearly they did not meet the expectations of the assignment)

• "No, you're a smart person!" (when they express doubts about their own abilities)

Don't Lower Standards

When giving critical feedback, it's important to make the expectations clear, indicating that you hold everyone to a high standard.

Even when it's intended to be supportive, just an implication that you're lowering your standards signals that you don't think someone can meet the higher standards. This can lead to students doubting their abilities and lowering their expectations for their own work.

Some examples of phrases that indicate lowered standards:

• "It's okay, you won't need to understand this material after this class."

• "Not everyone is good with hardware."

• "This is really hard stuff. It's okay that you don't get it."

Show Faith and Provide Next Steps

Just as crucial as maintaining high standards is expressing your belief that the student can meet those high standards. To help them figure out how to meet those standards, give concrete, realistic steps they can take to improve.

Some example phrases:

• "I know you can do better on future assignments. You'll be able to spot and fix many of these problems if you test your code before you submit it."

• "You have it in you to do better on the next test. If you're worried about running out of time again, try to answer all the questions that you feel more confident answering first. Then, if there's time you can work on the things you're not as sure of."