Things to Do Before and After Providing Feedback

A blue circle with an icon of a light bulb and the word Improve

Before feedback

What is the goal?
What specific competency will the teacher improve?
How will you and the teacher stay focused on that goal?

After feedback

How will improvement be measured?
What data will be collected?
What are the indicators of the competency?

The Importance of Adopting a Competency-Based Approach

Another component that supports effective feedback is grounded in adopting a competency- and practice-based approach: identify and stay focused on competencies as goals. When students and instructors start with a shared clear understanding of what students are seeking to improve, including specific descriptive indicators that will serve as evidence of mastery, maintaining focus on the goals throughout the feedback process is easier.

Consider how you will maintain this shared focus through course content, activities and assignments, rubrics, discussion prompts, and the structure and format of feedback opportunities.

For example, productive formative feedback on an educator's video of practice should link to focused observations related to the educator's implementation of the practice and progress toward mastery.