<p>Feedback plays a major role in enhancing educational experiences as it sheds light on learners’ and teachers’ strengths and weaknesses. The insights gleaned from feedback can pave the way for improvement. While many teachers readily offer feedback on students’ progress, the enthusiasm for receiving student feedback is not always there.</p>.<p>Some teachers dismiss the idea of student feedback, believing that students lack the necessary knowledge to evaluate their performance. Despite this perspective, which may seem unreasonable to liberal educators and institutions that value student feedback as an integral part of their evaluation system, exploring the advantages and methods of providing effective feedback is crucial.</p>.<p><strong>Evolving classroom dynamics</strong></p>.<p>After years of teaching, educators often feel confident in their teaching style and areas of strength and weakness. There is some validity to this, but it’s essential to remember that the student population continually changes and remains young while teachers inevitably age. Without external student validation, teachers may inadvertently operate under false assumptions about their teaching methods and effectiveness.</p>.<p>To address this gap, teachers should be ready to embrace feedback willingly and with an open mind. The willingness to subject oneself to critical feedback can lead to a profound transformation in classroom engagement and enhance academic fulfilment. In essence, feedback acts as a mirror reflecting the actual dynamics of the educational relationship, helping teachers evolve and adapt to the changing needs of their students. </p>.<p><strong>The student feedback conundrum</strong></p>.<p>Students often hesitate to provide feedback unless explicitly encouraged to do so. In many educational settings, students assume a passive role, absorbing information without actively participating in the educational process. This lack of active involvement can make students feel unqualified or ill-equipped to provide meaningful feedback to their teachers.</p>.<p>Hence, teachers must convey their receptivity to feedback and insist on it. They can explain to students how feedback can help improve their academic performance. Many students may be reluctant to give feedback because they fear doing it incorrectly. Teachers should guide providing feedback correctly and assure students that they will learn this skill gradually.</p>.<p><strong>Overcoming the fear</strong></p>.<p>One significant reason for students’ reluctance to provide feedback is the fear of potential repercussions from teachers. In our educational system, teachers have traditionally held positions of power and authority, making students hesitant to criticise them. To address this, teachers can offer options for anonymous feedback, emphasising that the content of the feedback matters more than who provided it.</p>.<p>Additionally, students avoid giving feedback because they worry about hurting the teacher’s feelings. Students can be trained to focus on positive and constructive feedback to overcome this dilemma. Teachers can set an example by self-assessing their teaching style and openly acknowledging their strengths and areas for improvement. This practice can boost students’ confidence and encourage them to share feedback freely.</p>.<p>Also, some students may believe that their feedback won’t lead to meaningful change and, therefore, refrain from providing it. In such cases, teachers must instil confidence in these students by explaining how they intend to use the input and make necessary improvements.</p>.<p><strong>Feedback implementation</strong></p>.<p>Once teachers receive student feedback, how they respond to it is extremely crucial. Common student complaints include teachers deviating from the prescribed syllabus, frequently going off-topic, and failing to cover the entire curriculum. Students must be taught to gradually transition from a rigid school structure and understand and appreciate the value of exploring topics beyond the prescribed curriculum, especially at the tertiary level.</p>.<p>Another common student feedback is that the teacher is strict or even harsh. While these perceptions may be natural for students, explaining the rationale behind such behaviour can change their perspective. Students should understand that classroom discipline prepares them for real-world challenges. Over time, many students come to appreciate how such discipline benefited them.</p>.<p>Therefore, teachers and students must embrace feedback with an open mind. Willingness to receive it and readiness to adapt where necessary through introspection are paramount. Honesty, genuineness, and transparency in both words and actions are essential for making the feedback mechanism successful and education meaningful.</p>.<p><em>(The writer is a professor and dean at CHRIST University, Bengaluru)</em></p>
<p>Feedback plays a major role in enhancing educational experiences as it sheds light on learners’ and teachers’ strengths and weaknesses. The insights gleaned from feedback can pave the way for improvement. While many teachers readily offer feedback on students’ progress, the enthusiasm for receiving student feedback is not always there.</p>.<p>Some teachers dismiss the idea of student feedback, believing that students lack the necessary knowledge to evaluate their performance. Despite this perspective, which may seem unreasonable to liberal educators and institutions that value student feedback as an integral part of their evaluation system, exploring the advantages and methods of providing effective feedback is crucial.</p>.<p><strong>Evolving classroom dynamics</strong></p>.<p>After years of teaching, educators often feel confident in their teaching style and areas of strength and weakness. There is some validity to this, but it’s essential to remember that the student population continually changes and remains young while teachers inevitably age. Without external student validation, teachers may inadvertently operate under false assumptions about their teaching methods and effectiveness.</p>.<p>To address this gap, teachers should be ready to embrace feedback willingly and with an open mind. The willingness to subject oneself to critical feedback can lead to a profound transformation in classroom engagement and enhance academic fulfilment. In essence, feedback acts as a mirror reflecting the actual dynamics of the educational relationship, helping teachers evolve and adapt to the changing needs of their students. </p>.<p><strong>The student feedback conundrum</strong></p>.<p>Students often hesitate to provide feedback unless explicitly encouraged to do so. In many educational settings, students assume a passive role, absorbing information without actively participating in the educational process. This lack of active involvement can make students feel unqualified or ill-equipped to provide meaningful feedback to their teachers.</p>.<p>Hence, teachers must convey their receptivity to feedback and insist on it. They can explain to students how feedback can help improve their academic performance. Many students may be reluctant to give feedback because they fear doing it incorrectly. Teachers should guide providing feedback correctly and assure students that they will learn this skill gradually.</p>.<p><strong>Overcoming the fear</strong></p>.<p>One significant reason for students’ reluctance to provide feedback is the fear of potential repercussions from teachers. In our educational system, teachers have traditionally held positions of power and authority, making students hesitant to criticise them. To address this, teachers can offer options for anonymous feedback, emphasising that the content of the feedback matters more than who provided it.</p>.<p>Additionally, students avoid giving feedback because they worry about hurting the teacher’s feelings. Students can be trained to focus on positive and constructive feedback to overcome this dilemma. Teachers can set an example by self-assessing their teaching style and openly acknowledging their strengths and areas for improvement. This practice can boost students’ confidence and encourage them to share feedback freely.</p>.<p>Also, some students may believe that their feedback won’t lead to meaningful change and, therefore, refrain from providing it. In such cases, teachers must instil confidence in these students by explaining how they intend to use the input and make necessary improvements.</p>.<p><strong>Feedback implementation</strong></p>.<p>Once teachers receive student feedback, how they respond to it is extremely crucial. Common student complaints include teachers deviating from the prescribed syllabus, frequently going off-topic, and failing to cover the entire curriculum. Students must be taught to gradually transition from a rigid school structure and understand and appreciate the value of exploring topics beyond the prescribed curriculum, especially at the tertiary level.</p>.<p>Another common student feedback is that the teacher is strict or even harsh. While these perceptions may be natural for students, explaining the rationale behind such behaviour can change their perspective. Students should understand that classroom discipline prepares them for real-world challenges. Over time, many students come to appreciate how such discipline benefited them.</p>.<p>Therefore, teachers and students must embrace feedback with an open mind. Willingness to receive it and readiness to adapt where necessary through introspection are paramount. Honesty, genuineness, and transparency in both words and actions are essential for making the feedback mechanism successful and education meaningful.</p>.<p><em>(The writer is a professor and dean at CHRIST University, Bengaluru)</em></p>