Giving students feedback can require a lot of our time and energy, and when students do not read the feedback, our efforts feel wasted. Providing students with opportunities to read and review feedback allows them time and space to apply the feedback and hopefully improve student learning.

Recently I completed an online short course, ‘Supporting students’ use of feedback’ offered by Dr. Naomi Winstone, a cognitive psychologist specializing in the processing and impact of instructional feedback. 

My main take-away from the course is that we need to think about ways to support the development of student “feedback literacy” and not assume that students can understand and apply the feedback we give them. 

According to Winstone, feedback literacy is “the ability to understand feedback and use it productively” and “requires learners to act upon comments that they have received.” 

Winstone proposes a responsibility sharing model where both students and faculty can take steps to enhance the feedback process in four key areas:

Things for faculty to try: 

• Give students opportunities in class to read and reflect on feedback. 
• Design assignments and assessments so that “feedback has a ‘landing place’ – i.e. somewhere for students to apply the feedback you give.” This might include requiring students to revise an assignment or intentionally building a progression of assignments. For example, have students do a brief “2-minute talk” early in the semester and then apply the feedback they receive to a presentation.
• Give students feedback that is “actionable.” e.g. instead of saying “your writing is not clear” suggest a step the student can take such as “find your longest sentences and rewrite them into shorter, clearer sentences.”
• Acknowledge that receiving and implementing feedback is challenging for all of us. Share your own experiences receiving and using feedback and strategies that have worked for you when receiving and applying feedback related to your own work.

Understanding and applying feedback takes intentional focus and practice. For more ideas, Winstone also shares a student guide, How to use feedback effectively that offers helpful tips and strategies for students.  Also, consider sharing effective feedback strategies here in a Teaching Tips Blog.