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Providing Appropriate & Targeted
Feedback to Today’s College Student
Perry C. Francis, Ed.D., LPC, NCC, ACS
Professor of Counseling
Coordinator of Counseling Clinic
College of Education Clinical Suite
Eastern Michigan University
Perry C. Francis,
Ed.D.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Your Presenter
• Perry C. Francis, Ed.D., LPC, NCC, ACS
▫ Eastern Michigan University
 Department of Leadership & Counseling
 Professor of Counseling
 College of Education Clinical Suite
 Counseling Clinic Coordinator
 Email: pfrancis@emich.edu
 Office: 734.487.4410
 Web: people.emich.edu/pfrancis/
Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Our Goals for the Next 90 Minutes
• Identify the characteristics of effective feedback.
• How to effectively give negative feedback without building
resistance from students.
• How to structure feedback so students remember the
information.
• How to use the principles of motivational interviewing in
your feedback to encourage student learning.
• Creating targeted feedback that builds self-confidence and
promotes greater cooperation in the classroom or
workplace.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
What Does This Look Like:
Identifying the characteristics of effective feedback.
Looks really do matter…
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
What is Purpose of Feedback
• Promote learning
▫ Offering new information to replace outdated or
incorrect information.
• Promote Behavior Change
▫ To reinforce what is done well by a student.
▫ Help student change unproductive behavior.
• Promote Trust
▫ To offer information in respectful fashion that
promotes the value of the person and reinforces
learning.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
What is Purpose of Feedback
• Feedback is about
▫ Providing the student insight about the
information, skills, & behaviors desired in the
organization (college or university) to accomplish the
mission (learning the material and/or changing behavior) to
achieve the goals (graduation) and find employment.
▫ Creating an environment where the student feels
safe to ask for help and information.
▫ Creating a respectful learning environment.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Two Basic Forms of Feedback
• Formative
▫ Gives information to instructors & students about
how students are doing relative to course learning
or behavior change goals.
▫ The formative assessment “script” reads like this:
 What knowledge or skills do I aim to develop?
 How close am I now?
 What do I need to do next?
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Two Basic Forms of Feedback
• Summative
▫ Provides the student with information about how
he/she did mastering the information or making the
requested change in behavior.
 For example, did the students learn what they were
supposed to learn after using the instructional module.
• Summative feedback/evaluation is typically
quantitative, using numeric scores or letter
grades to assess learner achievement.
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Examples…
• Formative Feedback
▫ Enrique, let me give you some ideas on how to
improve your paper…
 Two specific examples where it can be improved
 Four specific examples where Enrique was doing well
• Summative Feedback
▫ Enrique, your earned a B- on your paper. Let me point
out specifically the two areas that lowered your grade
and several areas that you did well on…
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
When Feedback Goes Wrong
• Creates defensiveness in students
• Impacts classroom climate
• Inhibits learning
• Poor course/instructor evaluations
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Effective Feedback
• Effective feedback is specific, not general.
• Effective feedback always focuses on a specific
behavior or actions, not on a person or their
intentions.
• The best feedback is sincerely and honestly
provided to help.
▫ People will know if they are receiving it for any other
reason.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Effective Feedback
• Successful feedback describes actions or
behaviors that is under the control of the
individual.
• Feedback that is requested is more powerful.
▫ Build in permission to provide feedback, even if
permission is not necessary.
▫ Say, “I'd like to give you some feedback about the
presentation, is that okay with you?”
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Effective Feedback
• Effective feedback involves the sharing of
information and observations.
▫ It does not include advice unless you have
permission or advice is requested.
• Effective feedback is well timed.
▫ Whether the feedback is positive or negative,
provide the information as closely tied to the event
as possible.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Effective Feedback
• Effective feedback involves what or how
something was done, not why.
▫ Asking “why” is asking people about their motivation
and that provokes defensiveness.
• Check to make sure the other person understood
what you communicated
▫ Use a feedback loop, such as asking a question or
observing changed behavior.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Examples…
• Ineffective Feedback
▫ Mr. Smith, you are talking over everyone else during class
discussion…why are you doing that… you know the class
discussion rules.
• Effective Feedback
▫ Mr. Smith, I have noticed that when you participate in class
discussion, you are talking over everyone else. It would be
helpful to the whole class if you waited until others have
stopped speaking. Additionally, what you have to say is
very good…on target, and matches the class readings.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Effective Feedback
• Effective feedback is as consistent as possible.
▫ If the actions are great today, they’re great
tomorrow.
▫ If the classroom behavior merits discipline, it
should always merit discipline.
• Effective feedback is offered privately.
▫ Never single anyone out for embarrassment
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Without Looking…
• What do you think are the top 10 ways kids
say their parents embarrass them…?
Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Remember the Last Time….
Top 10 ways kids say their parents embarrass them.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Public kissing
Treating them like a child
Telling them off in public
Spit wash (cleaning their face with your saliva)
Holding their hands
Dancing at a party
Using pet names for them in public
Telling bad jokes
Being publically reprimanded in
Wearing uncool clothes
public brings back all those
Public singing
negative memories.
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Structuring Feedback:
How to structure feedback so students remember the
information.
&
How to effectively give negative feedback without building
resistance from students.
The Order Really Does Matter…
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Structuring Feedback
When people are given both positive and
negative feedback, what do they remember?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Both the Positive & Negative Equally
Mostly the Negative feedback
Mostly the Positive feedback
My students generally don’t listen when I speak!
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Structuring Feedback
• People will mostly remember the NEGATIVE
feedback.
▫ People generally do not deeply consider praise.
▫ People remember criticism in significant detail.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Structuring Feedback
• Remember, even if you offer equal amounts of
positive and negative feedback to a student, it
will still feel negative over all.
▫ Concept of “hedonic asymmetry”
 Brain is optimized to identify and respond to bad
experiences first and seek to resolve them (survival).
 Good news can wait once threat is averted.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Structuring Feedback
• The 90/10 rule…
▫ People generally focus on
the 10% of their lives that
are going wrong and
overlook the 90% of their
lives that are going normal
or well.
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The Feedback Sandwich
Problems with the Feedback
Sandwich:
• Many have been taught to
sandwich negative criticism
between positive remarks.
1.
The criticism blasts the first
positive comments out of the
receiver’s brain.
2.
The receiver then thinks hard
about the criticism which drives
it into memory.
3.
The receiver is now on guard
for more criticism and cannot
hear the positive comments
that end the cycle.
Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
A Better Structure for Feedback
• Briefly present a few negative remarks
followed by a long list of positive remarks.
▫ This can be hard…coming up with positives can
take work
▫ Provide as much detail as you can
 Reason: Positive feedback is harder to remember.
People generally scrutinize & remember criticism
and gloss over positive remarks.
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Order a Different Sandwich…
• Go from this…
“You have a great writing and presentation style…at
the same time, I can really see some areas for
improvement.
Suggestion # 1
Suggestion # 2
I also think the content of what you presented is
good.”
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Order a Different Sandwich…
• To this…
“Let’s take a look at your written report &
presentation…two areas to focus on are…
Specific Example 1 & 2
Some strong areas were…
Great attention to the details of the report, for example…
Your presentation brought home the fact about…
You matched the learning goals with the points in the
presentation…
You sustained eye contact with your audience.”
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Structuring Negative Feedback
• When giving negative feedback
▫ Be clear!!
▫ Focus on things that can be changed or controlled
by the receiver.
▫ Present a clear and constructive way to change the
behavior or acquire new knowledge.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Presenting Positive Feedback
• Generally when people are receiving positive
praise & feedback…
▫
▫
▫
▫
Heart rate slows
Blood pressure lowers
Adrenaline levels decrease
Muscles relax
▫ It also becomes less memorable.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Presenting Positive Feedback
• To make positive feedback more memorable:
1. Give positive feedback that is unexpected.
2. Give feedback that creates positive, esteem
boosting nicknames.
3. Give feedback that rhymes or has prose
(supports memory).
Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
A Different Tool for Giving Feedback:
How to use the principles of motivational
interviewing in your feedback to encourage student
learning
The Use of Motivational Interviewing
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Motivational Interviewing & Feedback
• Counseling technique used to help people
identify personal reasons for undertaking the
hard work of behavior change.
• Based on the stages of changes model of
behavior change (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982).
Pre-comtemplation, Contemplation, Preparation,
Action, & Maintenance
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What is MI for Feedback
• A client-centered, semi-directive method of
engaging intrinsic motivation to change behavior
by developing discrepancy and exploring and
resolving ambivalence within the client.
• The core approach to MI is focused on the
“helper” being in a stance of trying to connect
and find the right stance or approach for each
given situation.
• MI discusses three key stances which can be
used. These are….
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What We Can Learn From MI
Listening /
Reacting
Guiding
Directing /
Informing
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Motivational Interviewing & Feedback
Overview of Motivational Interviewing
Express Empathy
Develop Discrepancy
Avoid Argumentation
Roll with Resistance
Support Self-Efficacy
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Motivational Interviewing & Feedback
Express Empathy
• Communications that imply a superior/inferior relationship
are avoided.
• The student’s freedom of choice and self-direction are
respected.
• While the instructor is in a position of power, encouraging
change happens through listening rather than talking.
• Attitude change attempts are gentle, subtle, always with
the assumption that change is up to the student.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Motivational Interviewing & Feedback
Develop Discrepancy
• Change occurs when students perceives a
discrepancy between where they are and where
they want to be.
▫ In certain cases such as the “pre-contemplators” (in
Prochaska’s and DiClemente's stages of change model) it may be
necessary first to develop such discrepancy by raising
the student’s awareness of the adverse personal
consequences of their negative behavior choices.
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Motivational Interviewing & Feedback
Avoid Argumentation
• Avoid direct argumentation!
▫ Tends to evoke resistance.
• The instructor does not seek to prove or convince
by force of argument.
▫ Instead, the instructor employs other strategies to
assist the student to see accurately the consequences
of their behavior and to begin devaluing the perceived
positive aspects of their negative choices.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Motivational Interviewing & Feedback
Roll With Resistance
• Do not meet resistance head-on, but rather “roll
with” the momentum – with a goal of shifting
the students perceptions in the process.
▫ New ways of thinking about problems are invited but
not imposed.
▫ Ambivalence is viewed as normal, not resistant, and is
explored openly. Solutions are usually evoked from the
student rather than provided by the instructor.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Motivational Interviewing & Feedback
Support Self-Efficacy
• According to Bandura, self-efficacy is the belief
that one can perform a particular behavior or
accomplish a particular task.
• In this case, the students must be persuaded that
it is possible to take charge of their learning
and/or change their own behavior, reduce their
overall problems, and improve their learning.
Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Using the Feedback Cycle:
Creating targeted feedback that builds selfconfidence and promotes greater cooperation in the
classroom or workplace.
Offer Feedback early and often…
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The Feedback Cycle
• The feedback cycle emphasizes the importance of students’
understanding and engaging with both the evaluation
criteria and feedback in an ongoing way to enhance
learning.
• You start this process from the very beginning of your class.
▫ Discuss your syllabus and lead a discussion on course
requirements, classroom expectations, and appropriate behavior.
• It is applied to all the opportunities you have to focus your
students’ attention on what you are hoping they will learn
and how they are performing throughout the class.
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Using a Feedback Cycle to Promote
Learning & Engagement
1) Explicit Criteria &
Standards
2)Active Engagement
w/ Criteria &
Standards
Active Engagement w/
Feedback
3a) Self-Assessment
Price & O’Donovan (2006)
3b) Educator & Peer
Feedback
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Explicit Criteria & Standards
• Clear expectations in the syllabus.
▫ Listing of appropriate behaviors
▫ Clear examples
▫ Clear instructions for all assignments
 If you are not sure, consult a colleague
Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Active Engagement w/ Criteria & Standards
• During course orientation:
▫ Engage students in discussion on assignments,
grading, and acceptable classroom behavior.
▫ Know your boundaries and consistently enforce
them.
▫ Repeat as necessary during subsequent classes
 Never single a student out in front of others
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Self, Educator, & Peer Feedback
• Periodically ask students to assess their own
learning.
▫ Give them opportunity to ask for feedback.
 Invited feedback is generally more welcomed.
• Educator creates specific feedback based on
criteria already laid out in the syllabus.
▫ Targeted to expectations for learning and behavior.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
Active Engagement w/ Feedback
• Create structure activities to assist students to engage with
feedback.
▫ This helps to avoid the situation where educators feel frustrated
that the time and effort they have spent providing quality
feedback has been wasted
▫ Engaging your students with feedback can start even before any
activity is carried out. Ask your students to suggest the focus of
feedback from a learning experience. This way you will be
concentrating on an area they are motivated by.
▫ At other times you may require that your student shows
evidence that he has understood and is acting on the feedback
that has been given.
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Case Example
• Charlie, a student in your class, has been
periodically late on several occasions and talks
over other students during class discussions. His
written work and exam scores have been
excellent.
• You are at the midpoint in the semester and, as
part of the syllabus, you have a planned midterm
feedback/evaluation built into the course.
• How are your going to structure feedback to
Charlie?
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
The Not So Good Sandwich…
• “Charlie, Let’s take a look at your work so far...”
▫ “First, your papers are well written. I always
appreciate that.”
▫ “Second, you seem to be late to class quite often… why
is that…it really is disrespectful to me and the other
students. Speaking of disrespectful…you really need to
pull back a bit in classroom discussion.”
▫ “Finally, your test scores show you are mastering the
material.”
Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
The New Improved Sandwich…
• “Charlie, Let’s take a look at your work so far...
▫ First, let’s go over the criteria in the syllabus…”
▫ “Let’s start with your own self assessment…any thoughts on how you are
meeting the criteria in the syllabus?”
▫ “I’d like you to wait until others have finished their thoughts before jumping in
to a class discussion. It would really help with class flow. Second, I’ve noticed
that you are late quite a bit to class, I was wondering if this is something you
can control?”
▫ “Finally, your test scores show you are mastering the material. Specifically, you
have done very well on sections 3, 4, & 5. Your papers are also demonstrating
the same thing…they are well written, thoughtful, and have pulled together the
reading, discussions, and homework. One last thing…you have really mastered
the APA style…in fact you are the APA Master!”
▫ “Do you have any questions…”
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To Review
• Review the criteria used for the feedback.
• Engage the student in his/her own selfevaluation.
• Offer your feedback…
▫ Structure with a few negative and several specific
positive.
• Check for Understanding.
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
To Review
• If met with resistance…
▫ Express understanding and role with resistance.
 Avoid argumentation
▫ Identify discrepancy
 Where does the student think s/he is
 Where does s/he think s/he needs to be
▫ Identify, using the criteria in syllabus, a plan to get
to goal.
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Questions
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Perry C. Francis, Ed.D.
References
Brookhart, S. M. (2008). How to give effective feedback to your students. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.
Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1987). Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate
Education.
Motivating Behavior Change. (2011, February). Harvard Mental Health Newsletter 27(8).
Boston: Harvard Health Publications.
Nass, C. & Yen, C. (2010). The man who lied to his laptop: What machines teach us about human
relationships. New York: Current.
Price, M., & O'Donovan, B. (2006). Improving performance through enhancing student
understanding criteria and feedback. In C. Bryan & K. Clegg (Eds.), Innovative Assessment in
Higher Education (pp. 100-109). London: Routledge, p.107.
Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. (1982). Transtheoretical therapy: toward a more integrative
model of change. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research And Practice, 19(3), 276-289.