The Impact of Performance Feedback on Counseling Self‐Efficacy and Counselor Anxiety

Based on the Social Cognitive Model of Counselor Training (L. M. Larson, 1998), this study explored the effects of bogus performance feedback on counseling self‐efficacy and counselor anxiety. After a 10‐minute mock counseling session, 45 master's‐level trainees received either positive or negative bogus feedback regarding their performance. Results showed that (a) participants altered their counseling self‐efficacy depending on the performance feedback they received, and (b) participants reported changes in anxiety following performance feedback.     

Leadership Perception

Multirater feedback, often called 360‐degree feedback, is a popular development and assessment tool, especially for organizational leaders. Raters from different organizational levels, including subordinates, boss, peers, and self, rate the leader's performance. However, there seldom is strong agreement across rater groups. This study used the data from a commercially available 360‐degree leader development feedback instrument and a second‐order confirmatory factor analysis model to try to explain the differences in ratings between the groups. Rather than an explanation of the differences, what was found were two second‐order factors that may be the underlying elements that all raters consider when observing leader performance.     

Utility of Feedback Has a Greater Impact on Learning than Ease of Decoding

While feedback is a key facilitator of learning, researchers have yet to determine the ideal feedback process for optimal performance in learners. The current study investigates the combined effects of ease of decoding, and utility of feedback during learning. Accuracy and rate of learning were recorded alongside changes to the feedback related negativity (FRN), an event‐related potential (ERP) elicited by feedback stimuli. This study investigates the FRN within the context of future‐focused directive feedback (DF), in addition to past‐focused evaluative feedback (EF) typically seen in the neuroscience literature. Results indicate a main effect of utility together with an interaction with ease of decoding on the accuracy data, but only the main effect of utility on learning rate. DF produced an FRN, like EF, which was then larger during high‐utility feedback, specifically following negative EF or when hard‐to‐decode. Implications and future research directions are discussed.     

Student justice perceptions following assignment feedback

In higher education, students are exposed to regular feedback about their performance, and a prominent aspect of students’ attention to feedback concerns the extent to which grades are consistent with what a student has expected to receive. Any discrepancies that arise can result in negative justice perceptions, which research has shown are associated with negative cognitive, emotional and behavioral consequences. However the extent of, and consequences of, these negative justice perceptions within the learning process have gone largely unexplored. This study investigates the relationship between expectation/performance discrepancies, justice perceptions, student satisfaction and self‐efficacy. In particular, we found an interaction between the grade received and negative justice perceptions; poor performers with negative justice perceptions were more likely to have lower subsequent self‐efficacy and satisfaction than those who did not have injustice perceptions. However, self‐efficacy rose for those who had negative justice perceptions if they also received moderate to high performance feedback. The results reflect the complexity of cognitive and behavioral responses to performance feedback. Implications for grading and recommendations for reducing injustice perceptions are discussed.     

The effects of a competency‐oriented learning environment and tutor feedback on students’ reflection skills

This study investigates the effects of a competency‐oriented course and the effects of feedback training on students’ reflection skills. Thirty‐one nursing students enrolled in a conventional course with lectures and assignments following a traditional test. Subsequently, they enrolled in a competency‐oriented course, which included more performance‐oriented tasks based on competencies and a performance‐based assessment. In both courses, half of the students received feedback on their assignments from tutors who were trained in feedback skills (experimental group), while the other half of the students received feedback from non‐trained tutors (control group). After each course, all students wrote a reflection report. Results show that students’ reflection reports after the competency‐oriented course were of a higher quality than the reports after the conventional course. Contrary to our expectations, the quality of the reflection reports of the control group (students supervised by non‐trained tutors) was significantly higher than the quality of reflection reports of the experimental group (students supervised by trained tutors). This study shows that a competency‐oriented design of courses enhances students’ reflection skills, but that the training in feedback skills needs to be reconsidered.     

Virtual and Traditional Feedback-Seeking Behaviors: Underlying Competitive Attitudes and Consequent Grade Performance

The electronic medium continues to play an increasingly important role in the delivery of management education despite a paucity of empirical studies on its impact and efficacy. Results from a study of competitive attitudes and feedback‐seeking behaviors across seven “hybrid” electronic cum live classes showed that Kiasu‐Negative (a competitive attitude directed at preventing others from getting ahead of oneself) and Kiasu‐Positive (a competitive attitude directed at personal diligence to get ahead of others) ( Hwang, Ang, & Francesco, 2002 ) were related to two electronic discussion board feedback‐seeking behaviors. These feedback‐seeking behaviors, in turn, were related to grade performance as measured by multiple‐choice tests. Traditional feedback‐seeking measures of asking the professor in class or outside the class, and checking with fellow students for their views on class topics did not have a positive influence on multiple‐choice test performance. In light of these findings, educators should consider how best to encourage participation on electronic discussion boards for hybrid type courses, while researchers should further examine the underlying causes of learning from such electronic exchanges. Other implications of these findings are also discussed.     

Towards state‐mandated testing in Germany: how do teachers assess the pedagogical relevance of performance feedback information?

The paper analyses how teachers view state‐mandated tests in Baden‐Württemberg, a large state in the south‐west of Germany. For the first time in 2006, public secondary schools were bound by law to administer Vergleichsarbeiten [state‐wide tests] in up to three relevant subjects after Grade 6. Scholars in the field of school improvement emphasise that there is a gap between performance feedback provided by external tests and how this information is internally processed. To bridge this gap, a crucial precondition is that teachers must accept state‐wide testing as a useful instrument for improving the performance of schools. To examine how teachers view the pedagogical relevance of performance feedback information, 256 secondary schools were approached, and an anonymous questionnaire was completed by a representative sample of 307 teachers with Grade 6 classes. Analysis of the quantitative data reveals that teachers in general secondary schools (the lower level of the academically streamed secondary system) are more open‐minded towards the tests than their colleagues in intermediate schools or in grammar schools (the highest level). Even so, only a small percentage of teachers in general secondary schools acknowledge the pedagogical relevance of performance feedback information for improving teaching strategies. This result suggests that state‐mandated testing in Baden‐Württemberg is highly unlikely to initiate or support school improvement activities for the time being.     

The Additional Effects of Process and Outcome Feedback Following Brief In‐service Teacher Training

Three primary school teachers attended a half‐day, in‐service training workshop which targeted instructional and managerial behaviours identified as being functionally related to students’ academic engaged behaviours in class. Following the workshop, daily observations showed only temporary changes in the teachers’ and their students’ behaviours with trends back towards baseline measures. After this period of ‘no feedback’, three conditions of in‐class performance feedback were introduced in different sequences to each teacher: outcome feedback (based on measures of a sample of their students’ academic engaged behaviour during lessons), process feedback (based on measures of the teachers’ own instructional behaviours), and a combination of both outcome and process feedback.

A time‐series, multiple baseline across subjects design was employed which allowed comparison of measures of teachers’ and students’ behaviours during the immediate post‐workshop period and during periods of the three types of feedback. The results showed that the introduction of performance feedback had the immediate (and cumulative) effect of increasing the behaviours targeted in the workshop to high rates that were maintained even when feedback was withdrawn. There were, however, no differences in the comparative efficacy of outcome, process or outcome/process combination effects.

The study builds upon existing research which has shown performance feedback to be an essential component of effective professional development and staff training packages that target workplace behaviour change. It also adds to the limited research that has examined the efficacy of different types of performance feedback and suggests other variables, such as who presents the feedback, may be important.     

The impact of an elaborated assessee’s role in peer assessment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an elaborated assessee’s role on metacognitive awareness, performance and attitude in peer assessment. Two intact groups (a total of 82 students) were randomly assigned to a treatment condition (having back‐feedback activity) or a control condition (not having back‐feedback activity). The results indicated that, regarding metacognitive awareness, when participants played the elaborated assessee role, they tended to report higher metacognitive awareness in their learning process. Regarding performance, when participants played the elaborated assessee role, they tended to receive better scores in making a concept map. Regarding attitude, when participants played the elaborated assessee role, they reported greater motivation towards the peer assessment. The findings of this study suggest instructional implications for those who want to employ peer assessment as a learning method by showing the effectiveness of a well‐developed role design, specifically one that includes the back‐feedback activity.     

A model for helping people hit their performance targets

This article presents the target model of human behavior and performance. The model is a closed‐loop, feedback‐governed view of human behavior and performance, which is to say it acknowledges that the performer controls his or her performance. The model provides a useful diagnostic framework for examining problems of human performance in the workplace. An example of its application is included.     

Study Skills for FE Teachers

This article reports the key findings of a project commissioned in 2005 by the UK Department for Education and Skills to consider the use of synchronous digital video for observation, feedback and assessment of teaching practice in post‐compulsory education and training. A protocol for the remote observation of teaching is presented that was developed after consultation with teachers and observers. Twenty‐five lessons were observed, in real time, and judgements of in‐class and online observers compared. The study demonstrated that, in the conditions tested, synchronous digital observation was a viable alternative to face‐to‐face observation for assessment and feedback on teaching performance.     

An Analysis of Peer Feedback Exchanged in Group Supervision

The authors examined the peer feedback exchanged in 2 supervision groups of counselors‐in‐training (CITs). CITs generated 169 statements grouped into 10 clusters representing 5 regions of peer feedback: counselor focus and engagement, insight‐oriented skills, exploratory skills, therapeutic alliance, and intervention activities. Both positive and corrective peer feedback was exchanged on topics ranging from counselor performance skills to case conceptualization.     

Insight into performance improvement in action: Inspiration from mobile apps

Mobile apps are a potentially powerful medium for performance technologists. In this piece we analyze four selected apps‐Coach's Eye, for amateur athletes; EpicMix, for skiers; Cloth, a wardrobe manager; and FLPR, a home‐theatre management tool‐to show the connection between app design and performance support. With user ratings and anecdotal feedback built into the review of the apps, training professionals have a front‐row seat on this expanding arena of problem‐solving products.     

Assessing Millennials in College‐Level Fashion Design Studios: A Study of Evidence‐Based Practice

Providing quality feedback that is both positive and effective while maintaining the required student grade confidentiality is a conundrum for faculty. This issue is particularly complex for faculty teaching studio courses (e.g. fashion design) with performance or creativity components where feedback has traditionally been given publicly as desktop reviews in the open studio. The difficulty of giving feedback in the studio‐style classroom is compounded when teaching millennial college students who tend to reject any criticism, public or otherwise, of their work. Previous research on assessment, rubrics and feedback as well as personal experience with studio classes provide background to this evidenced‐based study comparing three feedback and delivery methods: abbreviated rubric, extensive rubric and one‐to‐one meetings (e.g. dialogical assessment) guided by a project list. Grade consistency and ranking of grades were evaluated. Studio projects from a fashion design course were graded across two semesters using the multiple methods. Comparisons were made based on: (a) student reaction, (b) quality of rework and (c) time to grade. The outcomes showed that the one‐to‐one meetings as a feedback and delivery method of assessment had several benefits over two other methods, including added student engagement and improvement of rework.     

The Effect of a Mastery Learning Technique on the Performance of a Transfer of Training Task

This study evaluated the effect of using the mastery learning technique of self‐directed feedback, reinforcement, and remediation of knowledge on the performance of a work‐related task. The mastery learning intervention was conducted via a workbook which provided feedback to participants on their knowledge attainment after instruction, yet before the evaluation of the transfer task. The study utilized a randomized subjects, post‐test‐only control group design with 130 participants. The hypothesis that mastery learning would have a positive effect on transfer of knowledge from the classroom to a work‐related task was supported. Implications for instructional design and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Information and Feedback Seeking in U.S. and British Human Resources Development and Training Settings

This survey‐based study investigated information and feedback‐seeking behavior in U.S. and British human resource development and training settings. It involved some 400 participants at two U.S. and three British universities and government agencies. Using self‐and other‐rating forms, the results indicated differences in perception of teaching styles and source, frequency, and usefulness of information regarding performance feedback and learning objectives. The study suggests that adult learners self‐regulate in learning situations to a greater degree than instructors anticipate. The study has implications for the education and training of HRD instructors and trainers and adds to the knowledge base of instructional theory.     

Enhancing academic performance in distance education with concept mapping and inserted uestions

This research was designed to investigate the relative strength of two instructional strategies — inserted questions and concept mapping — for enhancing the academic performance of distance learners. The sample for this field experiment comprised one hundred and forty‐one nursing students enrolled in a 20‐week distance education course. A significant difference was found in favour of subjects who completed at least 11 of 12 concept mapping exercises. These subjects also indicated a preference for visual and graphic learning techniques. Inserted questions with explicit corrective feedback outperformed questions without such feedback.