Feedback and Student Reflection
Effective Feedback Can Improve Engagement
The feedback we give to our students can significantly enhance their engagement through several interconnected processes that address both academic and motivational dimensions of their learning. How, when, and what we communicate in our feedback can send explicit and implicit messages to our students about their engagement and performance. Here are some strategies for improving student engagement through feedback with illustrative examples.
Example 1: Instead of writing "Needs improvement" on an essay, provide specific guidance: "Your thesis statement in paragraph 1 needs to clearly state your main argument. Try restructuring it as: 'This paper argues that [your position] because [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3].'"
Example 2: On a math problem set, rather than just marking wrong answers, show the step where the error occurred: "Your approach in steps 1-3 is correct. In step 4, you divided by 2 instead of multiplying by 2. Rework from this point using the correct operation."
Example 3: For a lab report, provide a checklist with specific criteria: "Your hypothesis is well-formed, but your methods section needs more detail about measurement procedures. Include the specific instruments used and measurement intervals."
Example 1: Acknowledge progress and effort: "Your analysis of the first two sources shows significant improvement from your last paper. You're clearly developing stronger critical thinking skills. Now let's work on integrating the third source more effectively."
Example 2: Highlight strengths before addressing weaknesses: "Your creative approach to this programming problem is excellent - using recursion here shows advanced thinking. Let's now optimize efficiency by considering iterative alternatives."
Example 3: Frame challenges as growth opportunities: "This statistical concept is challenging for most students at this level. The fact that you're grappling with it shows you're pushing your boundaries. Here are two strategies that might help..."
Example 1: Provide corrective feedback that explains the 'why': "You concluded that the reaction was endothermic, but the negative ΔH value indicates it's actually exothermic. Remember: negative ΔH = heat release = exothermic reaction."
Example 2: Connect current work to previous learning: "Your understanding of supply and demand from Chapter 3 will help here. Apply those same principles to explain why currency values fluctuate in international markets."
Example 3: Offer multiple pathways to understanding: "If the visual diagram isn't clicking for you, try thinking about this concept through the mathematical formula, or consider this real-world analogy..."
Example 1: Adapt feedback to learning style: For a visual learner struggling with abstract concepts: "You might benefit from creating a flowchart or mind map to organize these philosophical arguments before writing about them."
Example 2: Consider individual goals: "Since you mentioned interest in medical school, let's connect this chemistry concept to how it applies in pharmacology - understanding molecular binding will be crucial for drug interactions."
Example 3: Address specific student circumstances: "I noticed you're balancing work and school. For your next project, consider choosing a topic related to your workplace experience - it might make the research more manageable and relevant."
Example 1: Prompt self-assessment: "Before you submit your next draft, use this checklist to evaluate your own work. Which areas do you think need the most attention? Compare your self-assessment with my feedback."
Example 2: Encourage reflection on process: "Reflect on your problem-solving approach here. What strategies worked well? What would you do differently next time? Write a brief reflection to include with your submission."
Example 3: Guide goal-setting: "Based on this feedback, what are two specific skills you want to focus on for your next assignment? Let's create measurable goals and check your progress in two weeks."
Example 1: Invite dialogue: "Your interpretation of this historical event is interesting but differs from the mainstream view. I'd love to discuss your reasoning during office hours - bring your sources and let's explore this together."
Example 2: Show genuine interest in student thinking: "Your unique perspective on this case study caught my attention. How did your background in engineering influence your approach to this business problem?"
Example 3: Create ongoing conversation: "This is exactly the kind of question that makes teaching rewarding. Your curiosity about the ethical implications shows deep thinking. Have you considered taking the advanced ethics course next semester?"
Example 1: Break down large goals: "Your goal to 'write better essays' is great. Let's make it specific: (1) Improve thesis statements by Week 4, (2) Strengthen evidence integration by Week 6, (3) Enhance conclusions by Week 8."
Example 2: Track incremental progress: "Compared to your first lab report, you've improved significantly in data analysis and discussion quality. Your next goal is strengthening the introduction section - here's what to focus on..."
Example 3: Connect short-term feedback to long-term objectives: "This problem-solving approach you've developed will serve you well in advanced courses. You're building exactly the analytical skills needed for your career goals in data science."
Example 1: Immediate correction during activities: In a coding lab, stop by a student's computer and say, "I see you're getting a syntax error on line 12. Look at your parentheses - you're missing a closing bracket there."
Example 2: Quick turnaround on formative assessments: Return quiz results within 24 hours with brief explanations: "Question 3: You chose B, but the answer is C. Review the difference between correlation and causation before our next class."
Example 3: Progressive feedback on multi-stage projects: After each project milestone, provide feedback within 48 hours: "Your research question is solid. Now focus on narrowing your scope for the literature review. Here are three key sources to start with..."
Each of these strategies demonstrate how thoughtful, specific feedback can create multiple pathways to increase your students’ engagement, addressing both their academic and motivational needs simultaneously.
Reflection on Feedback Can Improve Engagement
When our students reflect on their performance feedback, they shift from being passive recipients to active participants in their learning process. This allows them to take ownership of their learning which creates self-aware and responsible students. When students feel they have agency in their educational journey, their intrinsic motivation and engagement are likely to increase.
Reflection on feedback promotes metacognition - thinking about thinking. For students, having metacognitive skills means that they can recognize their own cognitive abilities, direct their own learning, evaluate their performance, understand what caused their successes or failures, and learn new strategies. This self-awareness creates a cycle of continuous improvement that maintains long-term engagement.
While the specific terminology may vary slightly based on sources, the core stages of the metacognitive cycle are illustrated in the graphic below.
When students reflect on the effectiveness of earlier stages for achieving their performance goals, it completes the cycle and informs a new assessment of the task. Students demonstrate increased engagement by actively participating in the stages of the metacognition cycle and are likely to stay engaged when they see the results of their choices and effort.