Great Point, However…
Feedback Fatigue And Crafting Better Comments
Ever stared at a mountain of online assignments in your speedgrader, wondering if your carefully crafted comments will make any difference? Last week, as I was adding my fifteenth "great point, however, have you considered..." comment to a student assignment, when my mind wandered from the task at hand and since I was already running late for the pick-up line, I put a pin in what I was doing and hopped in the car.
I’ll be the first to admit that I utilize apps on my phone that alert me to alternate routes through traffic, but most days, I don’t bother to check them until I’m all at a complete stop on an otherwise routine road home. But there I was stuck in a gridlock of farm-use vehicles, several tumbled hay bales, and too many commuters heading into the city when it hit me. How students approach feedback could be similar to how I use these traffic apps. Students weren't using the input to move forward, and I was burning out trying to provide it. Too much become noise; too little creates feels of annoyance at effort wasted.
Finding the right balance of challenge and support is hard to do. It means not commenting on everything but rather knowing what matters most for your students' learning journey.
Here's what I’ve put into place to help me find the right balance in providing meaningful feedback. These suggestions create a feedback cycle or pattern that can be repeated again and again throughout the semester.
Time Your Check-Points. Quick, targeted feedback on small assignments helps students adjust their course before major projects. I embed quick-check quizzes in video lectures and provide immediate guidance.
Create Feedback Loops. For each assignment, I consider three things:
Student Learning: How are they grasping concepts?
Learning Support: What additional resources do they need?
Course Design: What does the LMS data tell me about accessibility and engagement?
Use Feedback Spirals. For bigger projects, feedback spirals through multiple stages:
Peer review checkpoints
Draft feedback focusing on direction
Final assessment emphasizing completion and growth
Pre-write Key Comments. I prepare short, concept-focused paragraphs aligned with rubrics that can be copied and pasted. These serve as a starting point for personalized feedback that I layer on top of that feedback, saving time while maintaining consistency.
Close the Loop. Ask students to reflect on their learning journey. What might they do differently next time? Where did they discover unexpected challenges or successes?
Remember: Effective feedback provides guidance at key learning moments - similar to my traffic app if I’d only open it!
Before Your Next Class:
Choose one assignment this week. Instead of marking every detail, identify the three most crucial points your students need to be successful. Focus your feedback there.
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