Improving feedback

In a recent interview I was asked whether I thought I was a good teacher. My feedback scores are usually good, I told the panel, before going on to damage my case by pointing out how useless this sort of feedback is.

After any lecture, I ensure the audience receive feedback forms.  These are anonymous. There is usually a 1-10 scale for areas such as: clarity of presentation, usefulness of topic, and quality of audio-visual aids. A free text box at the bottom is designed to encourage additional comments.

Most people fill in the forms, but only a much smaller group write anything in the free text box.  And of this second group, it’s an even smaller sub-section that write anything actionable.

The scores are almost useless – what does it mean if someone gives me a 7 out of 10 for my clarity of presentation? We know that people give higher ratings to lecturers they like. Most students give a 7 or 8 out of 10 to a lecture that they consider “average”. Students like to circle the numbers because it’s easy.  Lecturers like it as well – “look, I’m averaging 8.3 for the usefulness of my lectures”. Of course if scores are consistently in the bottom end of the range then it’s time to take a hard look at your lecturing style.

The meaningful feedback is all from the small blank box at the bottom. It’s ego-pleasing to read “great lecture”, or “good overheads”, but that doesn’t help me improve. What I relish are the very small group who put in the effort to write what they think I could realistically do to improve. I don’t always agree with them, but actionable suggestions are by far the most valuable part of the entire form.

Feedback is the quickest way for us to improve. But it needs to be relevant, thoughtful and actionable, not just a tick-box scoring sheet.

Next time you’re in the audience filling out a feedback form, put the effort into that free text box – what did you like, what did you think could be better? And when you hand out forms to your audience then give an incentive for them to fill in the free text. I’ve offered a prize for the most useful comment, given specific time at the end of a talk for people to write, or said how much I’d value their genuine thoughts.

Your improvement from feedback will come from the occasionally painful specifics, not from the stultifying satisfaction of seeing all your forms with those lovely pen rings around the 8’s and 9’s.