The role of Praise & Feedback in Student Satisfaction Dave Darwent & Liane Taylor

Assumptions People who become teachers know how to give praise; Discussion….. So is there a problem? Why? Do you think this is important? Why? Should we be doing something about this? Is is part of our core role?? People who become teachers know how to give praise; People who become teachers know what praise is; Learners and Teachers see praise in the same way as each other; Learners know how to use feedback and feedforward; Teachers know what feedback and feedforward are; Learners know what feedback and feedforward are.

We found that these are not safe assumptions. Operate in this environment. We found that these are not safe assumptions.

Methodology On-line Survey Learners Educators *(Pre-16, Post-16, Undergraduate & Post-graduate) All gave permission for the findings to be shared. Verbal, written, paralinguistic – eg non-verbal signs, symbols, rewards and prizes etc On-line Survey Learners Educators We assumed respondents would know what praise was! Examples of Praise … … received or desired … given or planned Effect on … Expected or planned effect on … … self esteem, confidence, motivation & achievement Preferences: How, Where, When, Format?

Methodology Focus Groups Learners * Educators Learners as Educators Semi-structured conversations Focus Groups Learners * Educators Learners as Educators Discuss examples of praise from surveys completed by … … Educators … Learners … Educators and Learners Discuss examples of feedback, feed-forward & reward from surveys completed by … *(Pre-16, Post-16, Undergraduate & Post-graduate)

Define praise: Oxford English Dictionary: "The expression of approval or admiration for someone or something"

Define praise: Collins English Dictionary: "The act of expressing commendation, admiration, etc."

Describe praise: Educators: Praise as part of feedback… Educators: Feedback - reflection on [strengths and] weaknesses Feed-forward - suggestions for development or improvement

Describe praise: Learners: Being told that there is no improvement possible – the [work] is perfect. Getting the highest mark possible Being bought a car for getting 100%

principal / senior fellowship applicants; Widespread: Give quick background and bring up to date with these anecdotes. principal / senior fellowship applicants;

Widespread Give quick background and bring up to date with these anecdotes. eulogy;

Widespread Give quick background and bring up to date with these anecdotes. sports;

current day systems all around us Widespread Give quick background and bring up to date with these anecdotes. current day systems all around us

Linked to or divorced from feedback? Outcomes From discussions with learners in focus groups, and analysis of surveys Praise in itself is perceived to be important, but how it is given is crucial. And there are discrepancies between learners’ and educators’ view of this. Most learners liked ‘praise’ which told them what they had done well and how to improve’ – showing little differentiation between praise and f/b. Around 55% of learners felt that praise was important in making them feel more confident about their work., although 46% said praise motivated and helped them feel better about themselves, and only 35% said praise helped them to improve. They liked verbal and physical rewards above other forms – but verbal should be 1:1 P R A I S E Prompt Realistic Appropriate Individual Supportive Explicit Purposeful Rapport (age / task) Proportional Relationships Personal Reward Private Recognition Peers Preferences Linked to or divorced from feedback?

Learners were very clear about the kind of praise that is not desired or trustworthy! They do not see having work on display as praise Lots of cynicism about ‘teachers are just trying to be kind’, paid to do it…, overused superlatives become meaningless, how can they praise for effort when they don’t know how hard we’ve tried? Clinical praise which links to assessment criteria

A conundrum discussion Learners want to know how to get top marks which they see as crucial, so want to know how to improve, but don’t like feed-forward / feedback which undermines self-belief.

What does this mean for you? Discussion How significant or important is your own experience of personal and / or professional praise? What impact does this have on your practice? What does this mean for you?

What are the training needs? For whom? Discussion: How do we prevent constructive feedback being seen as personal criticism? How can we teach students to actively use feedback effectively and engage with it? what is praise? who needs praise? is(n't) it the same as feedback? is your praise the same as my praise?

Conclusions and further research Divorce praise, feedback & feedforward ? All educators need explicit training Learners need explicit instruction in the interpretation and use of feedback Emotionally driven responses influence perceptions of feedback / praise Feedback undermines praise (often) Praise and feedback are inextricably linked to ethos ? (safe inclusive env, etc) Verbal praise and rewards are highly valued as means of praise, celebrations and display are not generally desired as praise How do we prevent constructive feedback being seen as personal criticism? How can we teach students to actively use feedback effectively and engage with it? Fear of failure Resilience what is praise? who needs praise? is(n't) it the same as feedback? is your praise the same as my praise?

A Potential Solution The Problem Feedback for Learning Dave Darwent, Faculty of Development and Society, Sheffield Hallam University, Howard Street, Sheffield, S1 1WB. A Potential Solution The Problem Praise, Achievement and Development are clearly divorced from each other, given at different times and in different modes, and clearly linked to success criteria. Praise is obliterated by [well meaning] feedback or feed-forward, which is counter-productive. Even at very advanced learner level (e.g. Principal HEA Fellowship applicants) there is deep psychological scarring from (well intentioned) feedforward Stage 1 (written and / or verbal) Praise - purely positives Achievement Stage 2 (verbal / face to face) Recap achievements and praise Discuss potential developmental points Stage 3 (during face to face meeting) Learner identifies developmental points Learner records (e.g. in writing) developmental actions SIGNIFICANT period of time – more than days