Thread by @timbocop

A philosophical Monday #feedback quiz

1. A teacher comments on a student’s work. How many feedback loops are happening in each of the following?
- the student never sees it.
- the student sees it but the teacher doesn’t know.
- the student sees it & discusses with the teacher.

2. Is feedback a thing that happens or a thing that is?

3. Is feedback something that promotes learning, or something that describes a process of learning?

4. What conditions are necessary for feedback to exist?

5. Is it a necessary condition of feedback that output contributes (directly or indirectly) to input?

6. Can you have feedback without anyone learning anything?

7. Can teachers “give” feedback? Can students “receive” it?

8. Can feedback be “uptaken” or “engaged with”, or does feedback only exist where there is already engagement?

9. If a student tries something and nobody is around, can/does feedback happen?

(I know what @davidjnicol would say, what about others?)

10. If it describes a process of learning, whose process is it?

11. If it’s a student’s learning process, what is the role of the teacher or other in that process?

12. Who is the most important participant in a feedback process? Who is the most active? Who should be?

13. Who is responsible for the quality of feedback?

What about the effectiveness / impact?

14. Can a teacher commenting on a student’s work constitute feedback for the teacher?

15. Can feedback be collective (e.g. for the student-and-teacher team)?

16. Having thought about these questions, would you change your answer to question 1?

17. Does generative AI change any of this? Does it highlight anything interesting?

Ps the word "quiz" might imply that there are right answers and that I know what they are. I have *my* answers but I meant this more as a prompts for discussion thing.