Using feedback effectively

Feedback helps identify strengths and skills gaps to address. You need to respond to feedback in a positive way.

• View comments as specific to assignment rather than a personal judgement
  • Use them to feed forward and improve what you do next time
• Recognise that comments can be subjective

  • One person may not like your writing style but if all your other lecturers are happy with it, it might not be a priority to change

• Understand what the feedback/feed forward is saying – if in doubt seek clarification
• Give yourself time to understand the feedback
  • Sometimes things only make sense after consideration or in the context of doing another assignment.
• Make an action plan on what you are going to improve and how you are going to do it.

10 questions for you to test yourself to see how well you currently respond to feedback.

Quiz feedback

Mostly Never

You expect feedback will be negative and don’t always feel confident in your ability to fix problems highlighted by a feedback process. Negative feedback feels like a personal attack. If you are fearful of feedback, you’ll avoid opportunities if they will involve more exposure to it. Try to take feedback as an opportunity to grow and improve

Mostly Sometimes

You have variable feelings about feedback. When you get mostly positive feedback with a few negatives thrown in, you sometimes take the negatives to heart. While in many instances you can accept that feedback isn’t personal, sometimes you get caught up in worrying

Mostly Always

You generally think of feedback and criticism as helpful and you're not threatened by it. If you are a little disappointed when you get negative feedback, you are able to see this in context. You are good at taking feedback and making the necessary changes. You don’t automatically jump to the conclusion that negative feedback means someone doesn’t like you