ABSTRACT
Feedback that is extensive or tangential has little corrective benefit and reduces motivation. The best feedback dosage provides just enough information to guide the student toward the goal. Limiting feedback to one or two points that enable students to take the next steps is best. There are many taxonomies and models of feedback, but effective feedback can be reduced to two basic types, directive and facilitative, each with their own benefits, caveats, and guidelines. Directive feedback provides clear, actionable information that identifies correct responses, errors, and misconceptions. By contrast, facilitative feedback provides clues, suggestions, and hints so the student can identify their own progress and gaps. Directive feedback is best suited for novice students, students with low motivation, or difficult tasks. Facilitative feedback is best suited for self-regulated, advanced students, and students with high motivation. Feedback that can be perceived as threatening to students’ conceptions of themselves decreases motivation.
