DO I LOOK LIKE I’M INTERESTED IN HEARING SOME POSITIVE CRITICISM?
Why Feedback is important?
The term ‘feedback’ is used to describe the helpful
information or criticism about prior action or behavior from an individual,
communicated to another individual (or a group) who can use that information to
adjust and improve current and future actions and behaviors (DeFranzo, 2015). Feedback is an
essential part of effective learning as well. It
helps students understand the subject being studied and gives them clear
guidance on how to improve their learning. Bellon et al, state 'academic feedback is more strongly and
consistently related to achievement than any other teaching behavior...this
relationship is consistent regardless of grade, socioeconomic status, race, or
school setting.' Feedback can improve a student's confidence, self-awareness, and enthusiasm for learning. Feedback is an important part of the
assessment process. It has a significant effect on student learning and has
been described as “the most powerful single moderator that enhances
achievement” (Hattie, 1999). To benefit student learning,
feedback needs to be: Constructive, timely and meaningful. Feedback is valuable
when it is received, understood and acted on. How students analyze, discuss and
act on feedback is as important as the quality of the feedback itself (Nicol,
2010).
The reviewer of my work was very generous and kind to me (Looks like he was not from my in-law's clan). He did a clear and detailed review of my work and
gave me a very positive feedback that is going to help me make improvement
in my course. I literally missed mentioning the purpose and scope, along with goal
settings of my training in the “Readme first” document. I will be updating my doc in a day or so. He
mentioned in the review that he doesn’t see any assessment of the learning. I
guess he missed reading about the “Pre-Assessment” quiz in the first module. The daily online meetings and discussions will
help the instructor evaluate his
students’ learning as Q&As are mandatory
in this session. Moreover, every day’s
blog reflections and reply to other’s
blogs would also reflect that learning is happening. The course will end with a
post-test survey and hopefully, the outcome of that would change the behavior of
the participants in favor of the residents of the city of Karachi landfill. The
reviewer's suggestions are well taken and I will modify my coursework
as per his recommendations.