Feedback in education

A few weeks ago we talked about the application of design thinking in education and the effect that it produces not only in the learning experience and results but also on improving the capabilities of the children and even on training the personality.

One aspect that has had a positive impact on the children we work with is: the feedback. It can be defined as someone’s answer or opinion in response to a specific event.

Since we were children we are exposed to a tremendous amount of feedback: the reactions of our parents and teachers to simple things like drawings, tests’ results or a scolding in front of the whole class. Usually, we can say that the feedback we receive throughout our life evolves. When we are young it is mostly positive and more consistent, but when we age, we stop receiving that kind of feedback, which becomes rare, imprecise and more negative. People around us do not consider necessary to say how well you do things because it is supposed you already know it, and you only receive feedback of what you do wrongly. “You have forgotten again to do your homework,” “this count is wrong”, “I can’t understand your letter” and so many more.

The impact is so big that, without being aware, we tend to think more on the negative reviews than on those that highlight what you do well, and if you are told something good, is because they want something from you. Many of us were accumulating unconsciously the effect of this in our self-esteem, our confidence and our ability to deal feeback.

Therefore, from Designthinking.gal we claim a central role of feedback not only in our work but also in our daily lives. The specific, personalized feedback, emitted with certain constancy and highlighting the positive aspects of the person to whom it is directed, can achieve incredible results on everyone. We do it in our educational project VermisLAB and today we have managed to improve the confidence of those who doubt to share their ideas, the group cohesion and teamwork, creating more and better ideas and projects, so they wish to receive further feedback and all having fun while learning.

Here we leave you some tips to give feedback that you will be able to apply both in your workplace and in your everyday life:

1) Start verbalizing that everything you say is with the desire to improve and under your opinion.

2) Give specific feedback, referring to one behavior or outcome that you want to reinforce.

3) Taking care of the moment to give feedback, do not let pass a long time since occurs whatever you want to reinforce.

4) Highlight the positive aspects of the person and his performance, everything you learn from that person.

5) If you have to say something negative, apply the “sandwich technique”: start with a positive message, say that aspect or appreciation of a negative character in the middle of reasoning and finish highlighting the positive qualities or a message to express your trust that the next time will be better.

If you do not tell, how do you expect them to know? 😉