Day 7: Feedback & Critique

Make the work stronger through the perspectives of others.

Day 6 gave students something important.

A first version.

Maybe it was a physical prototype, a written draft, a digital design, a model, or a presentation.

Whatever the product, students now have something they can share, examine, and discuss.

And that's where Day 7 begins.

Day 7 of our 10-Day Recipe is about feedback and critique.

Students share their developing work with peers, teachers, experts, or other appropriate audiences.

They listen to different perspectives, ask questions, and begin identifying what might make their work stronger.

But there's an important distinction.

Feedback isn't simply telling students whether something is good or bad.

It's helping them understand what is working, what needs attention, and why.

Day 6 gives students something to examine. Day 7 helps them see it through another perspective.

The Goal

One question should guide our planning:

How can feedback help students recognize the strengths and limitations of their current solution?

The answer doesn't require a complicated critique protocol.

Students might participate in a gallery walk, exchange prototypes with another group, receive comments from an expert, or discuss their work with a partner.

What matters is that the feedback is connected to the purpose of the project.

Does the solution address the problem?

Does it meet the identified needs?

Does it satisfy the criteria and constraints?

What evidence supports the feedback?

Those questions make critique meaningful.

Feedback Isn't Just an Opinion

We've all heard students say:

"I like it!"

"That looks cool!"

"Good job!"

These comments are encouraging.

But they don't necessarily help anyone improve.

Meaningful feedback needs to be specific.

Instead of:

"I like your design."

Try:

"Your design appears to address the need for portability because it can be moved easily."

Instead of:

"You should make it bigger."

Try:

"Would increasing the size help the product meet the needs of the intended audience?"

The difference is important.

Useful feedback identifies something specific and connects it to a reason.

It gives students information they can act on.

Teach Students How to Give Feedback

We shouldn't assume students automatically know how to critique someone else's work.

Like any other academic skill, feedback needs instruction, modeling, and practice.

A simple protocol can help.

One option is:

I Like...

Identify something that is working and explain why.

I Wonder...

Ask a question about something that is unclear or worth considering.

What If...

Offer a possible improvement connected to the project's criteria or evidence.

This structure encourages students to be specific, respectful, and constructive.

It also helps create a classroom culture where feedback is viewed as part of learning rather than as personal criticism.

Receiving Feedback Is a Skill, Too

Giving feedback is only half the experience.

Students also need to learn how to receive it.

That can be difficult.

They've invested time and energy into their work.

They may feel protective of their ideas.

A suggestion for improvement can feel like a judgment.

We can help students understand that critique isn't a rejection of their effort.

It's information they can use.

Encourage students to listen, ask clarifying questions, and record the feedback before deciding what to do with it.

They don't have to accept every suggestion.

In fact, part of the learning is determining which feedback is most useful.

The question becomes:

"Which feedback will help us better address the problem, and why?"

That's critical thinking in action.

Don't Skip the Reflection

A common mistake is ending the experience immediately after students receive comments.

They collect sticky notes.

They hear suggestions.

They thank their peers.

And then they move on.

But the real value comes from making sense of what they've heard.

Give students a few minutes to identify:

• One strength they want to preserve.

• One concern they need to investigate.

• One suggestion worth considering.

• One question they still need to answer.

This turns feedback into preparation for revision.

Day 7 is not necessarily the day to rebuild the entire product.

It's the day to understand what should change and why.

Portrait of a Graduate Connections

Critical Thinking: Evaluate feedback, identify patterns, and determine which suggestions are supported by evidence.

Communication: Explain ideas clearly, ask questions, listen actively, and respond thoughtfully.

Collaboration: Participate in respectful critique and contribute to the improvement of others' work.

Creativity: Consider alternative approaches and imagine possibilities for refinement.

These competencies become authentic when students are working together to improve something that matters.

A Simple Day 7 Recipe

Keep feedback and critique manageable with four moves.

1. SHARE

Students present their developing work and explain its purpose.

What are we trying to accomplish?

2. GATHER

Peers, teachers, or experts provide specific feedback.

What appears to be working? What questions remain?

3. ANALYZE

Students examine the feedback and identify patterns.

What are we hearing, and what evidence supports it?

4. PRIORITIZE

Students determine which changes deserve attention.

What should we improve first, and why?

That's it.

Students don't need dozens of comments.

They need a few meaningful insights that help them move forward.

The Small Bite

If you're trying this tomorrow, organize a brief partner critique.

Ask students to share their work and use three prompts:

"I like... because..."

"I wonder..."

"What if..."

Then have students identify one piece of feedback they believe will improve their solution.

Ask them to explain why.

That's Day 7.

Day 1: Launch the Challenge
Day 2: Build Background Knowledge
Day 3: Deepen the Learning
Day 4: Investigate the Problem
Day 5: Plan the Solution
Day 6: Create Prototype
Day 7: Feedback & Critique

Next, students will use what they've learned to make intentional improvements.

Day 8: Revise & Improve.

In TAPAS terms, we've prepared our first dish and invited others to taste it.

Now we know what might make it better.

But receiving feedback isn't the same as improving.

That comes next.

Small bites. Big impact.

Real problems. Real learning. Real impact.