Effective and Ineffective Forms of Feedback Essay Example for Free

Effective and Ineffective Forms of Feedback Essay The purpose of providing feedbacks, especially within the academic landscape, is to help learners improve their learning styles and overall character as a means of facilitating learning through the implementation of evaluation or assessment. (Hernandez, 2005) The feedback is drawn from the process of assessing the learning styles and behaviors, as well as the results or outcomes of learning in order to determine what changes are needed to be done in order to improve the teaching-learning process and increase the rate of learning and application of obtained knowledge, skills, and competencies. (â€Å"Testing and Assessment,† 2008) However, although feedbacks are structured in order to harness positive results and outcomes, the undesirable nature of feedbacks might be ineffective in motivating enviable and expected changes in learners. There are two kinds of feedback – the constructive and destructive types of feedback. The constructive types of feedback are those that fuel or motivate desirable changes whether on the part of the learner or the professor or the teacher. Constructive or effective types of feedback are those that realize the purpose of feedback and assessment, and that is to improve the learning process. These kinds of feedback should be motivating and inspiring, and not disheartening or threatening. They could be in the form of encouraging words that are kind but honest at the same time. Moreover, they should be balanced and rational, eliminating bias or any other subjective thoughts regarding the assessment. For instance, effective feedback constitute both the positive and negative results of assessments, and the amplification of excellent skills and characters, and the reiteration of the need to make some changes in order to improve or eliminate negative results of the assessment. (â€Å"Feedback Principles,† 2006) Other forms of feedback that are constructive or effective are best facilitated through a dialogue or two-way communication. In this way, there is a polite and respectful exchange of questions or ideas from which the conclusions are determined for the changes that the learner should be overcoming. Establishing a non-hostile dialogue between the teacher and the learner not only allows two-way communication, but also helps in establishing desirable relationships that might be beneficial in eliminating tensions that might interfere with one’s motivations in learning. (â€Å"Ideas on Teaching,† 2008) Ineffective forms of feedback, on the other hand, are harsh or hostile ones which do not encourage or motivate learners to improve their learning styles, behaviors, and points of view. For instance, the inclusion of the grades or ratings in providing feedback may not be the best idea since it creates stress and pressure on the part of the learners that may not contribute to their development of their learning styles and behaviors. In addition, feedback should not be provided through tangible objects such as rewards for good feedback or punishments for bad feedbacks since improvements or developments may not arise from their innate desires to enrich their knowledge and skills but to receive rewards and avoid punishments. (Hernandez, 2005) Overall, the difference between effective and ineffective feedbacks lies on the results or outcomes on the learning styles and behaviors of learners. Effective feedbacks are those that are delivered honestly, directly, and thoughtfully considering logic and rationality and as well as motivations as part of the learners’ emotions. On the other hand, ineffective feedback are those that hinder improvements or developments as they discourage learners to make changes due to the stress and pressure that they feel from undesirable forms of feedbacks. Due to the importance of feedback in facilitating learning, academic institutions should look into the possibilities of improving the assessment and feedback processes in order to ensure that the results or outcomes of these processes will lead to the enhancement of learning and the application of these knowledge and skills. References â€Å"Feedback Principles. † (2006). Retrieved December 13, 2008, from The National Reform School Faculty. Website: http://www. nsrfharmony. org/protocol/doc/feedback_principles. pdf Hernandez, A. (2005). Formative Assessment and Feedback. Retrieved December 13, 2008, from The Encyclopedia of Educational Technology. Website: http://coe. sdsu. edu/eet/articles/formeval/index. htm â€Å"Ideas on Teaching. † (1999). Retrieved December 13, 2008, from University of Oklahoma. Website: http://www. ou. edu/pii/tips/ideas/feedback2. html â€Å"Testing and Assessment. † (2008). Retrieved December 13, 2008, from The Virginia Commonwealth University. Website: http://www. vcu. edu/cte/resources/tlc/4_3_role_of_assessment. htm