Welcome to the Tuesday Teaching Tip, an easy-to-implement tool that you can use immediately in your classroom teaching.
TUESDAY TEACHING TIP: Constructive and Timely Feedback
Effective feedback is one of the most powerful tools for student learning—but only when it's both constructive and timely. Students learn best when they receive feedback while the material is still fresh in their minds. Waiting too long can mean missed opportunities for growth and reinforcement. Equally important is how we deliver feedback—vague praise or criticism doesn’t help students understand how to improve. And then yes, getting them to read your comments…
This week, we challenge you to experiment with a new way to provide effective feedback on an assignment, project, or class activity—your students will thank you for it!
Here are some potential ways to do it
- Give out solutions immediately after a quiz, midterm, or final exam: Providing a physical copy of the solutions right after students complete the assessment takes advantage of the moment when their curiosity and attention are at their peak. They’re eager to know what they got right (or wrong), and reviewing the correct approach while it’s still fresh in their minds can significantly enhance learning and retention.
- Balance critique with encouragement: Try to explicitly identify both strengths and weaknesses in your feedback. This not only helps students recognize what they’re doing well, but also gives them a clear path forward. Sounds familiar? This is also how some grant proposals are commonly reviewed!
- Incorporate structured peer feedback: Peer feedback may offer students more immediate feedback while also exposing them to a broader range of perspectives. Seeing how classmates approach the same problem helps students refine their own understanding—and can even inform how you (as the instructor) frame your own feedback afterward.
- Use short audio or video feedback clips: Instead of written comments, try recording a 1–2 minute voice memo or video message for each student (or group). Hearing your tone and explanations can make feedback feel more personal, clear, and encouraging—especially for complex assignments or projects.
- Ask students to respond or acknowledge in some way that they’ve received your feedback.
DID YOU DO IT?
Let us know how it went. We would love to hear your feedback about how you implemented today’s Tuesday Teaching Tip in your classroom. Click here to fill out our 3-question survey. The survey is anonymous, but if you choose to enter your name, you’ll be entered in a drawing at the end of the quarter to win a new book from Faculty Development!
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Join us for an Interfolio FAR session on Thursday, 9:30-10:45 in Varsi 222. Whether it is your first time completing the FAR or your second (or third, or more), come hear from colleagues about how to document your research, teaching, and service accomplishments throughout the year. Register here.
WANT TO READ A LITTLE MORE?
This week’s Tuesday Teaching Tip was prepared by On Shun Pak on behalf of the Faculty Collaborative.
Missed a teaching tip? Read them all here. Don’t forget to check out our Faculty Associates office hours here.
And check out our full calendar of CAFEs and other Faculty Development and Faculty Collaborative events.
