Feedback to the students in a classroom is most effective when:
2024
Feedback to the students in a classroom is most effective when:
- A.
It assigns comparative ranks to the students.
- B.
It occurs during as well as after the learning activity.
- C.
It focuses on what the child cannot do rather than what they can do.
- D.
It centres around tests and exams at the end of the year.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept: Feedback is most effective when it functions as part of a continuous (formative) process rather than a one-time judgment. According to the principle of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), feedback works best when it is given while the learner is engaged in the activity (so mistakes can be corrected in real time) and again once the activity is complete (so the learning is consolidated and the next steps are clear). Effective feedback is also balanced and developmental — it points toward improvement rather than simply ranking or judging the learner.
Application: Feedback given while the learning activity is underway lets a learner adjust before the task is finished, and feedback given again once the activity is complete confirms what was learnt and clarifies the next steps. This during-and-after pattern is the continuous, formative feedback the concept above describes.
Cross-check: Comparing the remaining values against the same principle:
Comparative ranking communicates a student's standing relative to peers — norm-referenced, evaluative information rather than developmental guidance on what to do next.
Feedback confined to what a child cannot do surfaces gaps without also surfacing existing strengths, leaving out the balanced picture a learner needs.
Feedback tied only to end-of-year tests and exams reaches the student as a single, delayed event, once the referenced learning has already concluded.