the role of feedback
Monday, November 22
Feedback can vary widely in its content and delivery. Sometimes it’s hard to extract how to improve. Perhaps we’re only told that we went down the wrong path, and we have to continue the conversation to clarify
and identify next steps.
After the video, you’ll have a chance to share with the group a reflection on how it relates to your own experiences. As you watch, what resonates with you?
I particularly liked the idea of asking clarifying questions in order to know what the person actually intended to say. Most of the time, we end up assuming and judging when we do not have clarity on what the other person is trying to communicate - which leads to miscommunication and mistrust in the individual who gave us feedback.
I think the opinion in this video is very useful, like when you give feedback or suggestion to someone else, try to give the feedback as effective and clear as possible, and sometimes when I find other people' feedback are too kind and polite, it's like "oh your project/essay is so great", it's like they say something but nothing.
This made a lot of sense to me as I have a tendency to either doubt myself or get defensive if someone gives me feedback in a negative way. It would make sense that when giving feedback to others I should make sure to frame it in a way that is helpful and supportive as that is the sort of feedback I look for. Even if someone has a very different idea/perspective regarding my project, I still appreciate hearing that perspective in a positive/more growth-oriented view rather than just critisism.
I guess what resonate with my experience on feedback is when I was helping other people on their craft project, usually there's multiple method to make some components work and people usually use different methods or come up with some unique and creative ideas. At this moment, instead of giving feedback that they should follow the existed rule and prevent failure, I will encourage them to try their new idea even though I also not sure what's the result will goes. But I just feel they should try different things than using the traditional way to accomplish them.
I liked how the video explained a more effective way to give feedback. It helped to think about how to affirm to someone that feedback is an invitation to continue, not to shut them down. I used t get really shut down by feedback because I would get too nervous to apply the feedback that was given to me. However, thinking about feedback as coming from a place of care has helped me apply feedback to my academic and personal life.
What resonates me in the video is that if you give feedback, it is more important to give useful information or clear instructions instead of blaming about other's work. For example, in art critiques, it is more important to tell the artist what adjustment or material would add to the current project instead of blaming them about the current one is not ideal. Even if you do find some shortcomings of current project of other's work, give clear instruction about what would help, and I think that's the key of effective feedback.
I resonated with the analogy of feedback as a box with different contents and delivery. I thought it did a good job at conveying the purpose of feedback--its about the person receiving the box and what they can do with what you are giving them. I resonated with the idea that feedback should be constructive and delivered in a kind and inspiring manner.
I think what resonated with me was learning to see how I react to feedback. In the past, I would usually feel myself loos confidence with myself with the feedack I am given, but more recently, I have been trying to learn how to use all sorts of feedback to look back on myself and try not to feel inferior as I would always have a chance to improve and it is not productive to be upset over feedback and learning to have a little more confidence in myself to be able to handle feedback.
What personally resonated me with is the instruction to "signal your intention" when giving feedback. Too often times, we forget to measure others by their intention over their behavior; this is primarily due to the fact that intention is unmeasurable. Signaling the intention, therefore, provides room for both parties to assume the best of each other and cultivate a comfortable learning environment.
Firstly, in case of receiving feedback, I resonate with the part that sometimes feedback does not show the specific steps forward which confuses me. If it only says "you are wrong", but not "how you might be able to improve it", it is hard to follow the feedback. Secondly, I also tried to give feedback to my peers. I acknowledge this is really a hard work!
The way that feedback is given definitely resonates with me since being considerate of how you provide that input to a person can affect them and how they move forward greatly. Depending on tone and approach, a person might feel that their efforts are not being supported and feel the need to be defensive, which may make it harder for them to take in any kind of feedback moving forward, especially from that same person. It's important to take the other person's feelings, thoughts, intentions and work into consideration whether you are providing positive or negative feedback.
Due: Monday 11/29 before class
On your web site, create a new reflection entry. You may choose whether to use a written (1-3 paragraphs) or recorded (1-3 minute audio/video) format.
Reflect on how feedback from others can help us move through the self-regulated feedback cycle, if we can receive it effectively. Use these prompts (and concrete examples if possible) to guide your reflection:
While there might be feedback that we have to leave on the table, those who are in a position to give us feedback (an instructor, peer, or supervisor) usually have something constructive to offer. How do we not let the fear of receiving feedback or the sting of difficult feedback keep us from improving our work?
What strategies can you use to unpack feedback to gain more information about which parts of our plan are strong and which could benefit from revision?