Professional Experience Placement

Giving feedback to students is a process that can effectively guide and facilitate improved performance.  It is important to maximise the effectiveness of learning opportunities by incorporating effective feedback into daily practice. It may require learning strategies to create opportunities for observation, assessment and providing feedback about the activities undertaken.

There is a difference between evaluation and feedback. Evaluation ascribes a value to whatever element is being assessed. Feedback focuses on providing information, with the goal to improving the competency that is being addressed. Feedback is usually effective when it is provided immediately after the activity has been observed or assessed.

The functions of feedback  include helping learners improve their performance, identify barriers or challenges to achieving goals, encourage alternate behaviours, confirm strengths and provide motivation for change. Feedback needs to be given in a timely manner, or briefly postponed until when the situation is suitable. It needs to be constructive and expected as part of a supportive learning environment where students are encouraged to learn from their mistakes. It is important the feedback is objective and accurate, and it needs to be specific and relevant to the activity or task being undertaken.

It is important to choose the right words when providing feedback. It is beneficial to be specific and behavioural, focus on the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘how’.  Avoid the ‘all’, ‘never’ and ‘always’. Stress the objective and measurable, rather than the subjective and judgemental observations. Avoid making assumptions about the learner’s intentions or interpretations related to their actions.t is important to provide feedback based on first-hand information, not on comments made by colleagues. Patterns of behaviour are more important than isolated events. Recognise what the student is doing well and provide positive feedback as learners are developing their skills and behaviours. Ensure that when you are providing feedback that it is explicitly labelled as feedback. Often students do not recognise information, shared with them by clinical facilitators,  as feedback.

More detailed information about giving and receiving feedback can be located at the University of Western Ontario, Canada Preceptor Education Program for Health Professionals and Students.