Three Types of Feedback
Good instruction provides learners opportunities to practice the objectives (sometimes called learning objectives, performance objectives, behavioral objectives). Practice without feedback is futile. Here is the takeaway, instruction should provide practice opportunities and practice opportunities must include feedback. Mager (2012) described three types of feedback–
- Adequacy feedback tell a learner if his or her performance is acceptable
- Diagnostic feedback tells a learner what is wrong with his or her performance
- Corrective feedback tells a learner how to improve his or her performance
Mager, R.F. (2012). Making instruction work. Carefree AZ: Mager Associates, Inc.
Instruction will not solve the performance problem when…
In a previous post, Training is Not Always the Solution, we asserted training is rarely the fix, at least by itself, for a performance problem. In this post we put forth three questions, derived from Mager’s (2012) work, to ask during analysis that will definitely rule out instruction or training as the solution for deficits in performance. If the answer to all three questions is Yes then instruction or training is not the solution.
- Do your people know what is expected of them?
- Do your people have the tools and resources to perform?
- Do your people know how to do what is expected of them?
When people know what to do, how to do it, and have the tools they need to perform, instruction is not the solution for a performance problem.
Mager, R.F. (2012). Making instruction work. Carefree, AZ: Mager Associates, Inc.