Making effective feedback choices in scenario-based e-learning

Katy Montgomery

“Tell me something good. Tell me that you like it.” (Wonder, 1974) 

When it comes to learning, the words of Stevie Wonder's 1970s hit song are only part of the story. It is likely the feedback that corrects, even more so than the feedback that validates, that is useful. But what are the other features of feedback that make it useful for a particular learning situation?

When I taught languages skills in a classroom, I made a lot of decisions as to the type of feedback that I would provide. For example, related to grammar mistakes in speech, I needed to consider the individual learner and decide whether to interrupt their discourse to correct them (which would make the correction more relevant) or give it later after they finished (which would let them develop fluency). Also, I had various forms in which I could give this correction. For learners who seemed to know the rule but had not automatized them in their speech, I might just repeat their mistake with rising intonation to let them notice and correct it. For other students, I might explain it more explicitly.

Similar choices need to be made when feedback is given in a scenario-based e-learning environment. In her book Scenario-based e-learning: Evidence-based guidelines for online workforce training, Ruth Clark (2013) remarks, “Detailed feedback on your solution, your problem-solving process, and your rationale makes all the difference between an effective and an ineffective learning experience” (p. 103). The best feedback depends on the situation, and the wrong feedback can even make learning less effective (Kluger and DeNisi, as cited in Clark, 2013, p. 104).

Clark (2013) outlines four areas to consider when developing appropriate feedback for scenario-based e-learning.

Specificity

We'll imagine a scenario-based e-learning activity that focuses on packing for a business trip and compare this feedback:

The first version is general and the second is more specific. Which is more helpful?  Most would probably say the second, and Clark (2013) notes that people learn more from specific feedback than general feedback. The caveat is that specific feedback can be more time-consuming and thus expensive to produce. If time or funds or limited, it is important to consider the instances in which specific feedback would be most useful.

Instructional vs. intrinsic 

Here, the feedback differs in another way:

The first item offers instructional feedback; this type of feedback directly explains if a choice is appropriate or not and the reasons why (Clark, 2013). The second and third items are examples of intrinsic feedback. With intrinsic feedback, the learner encounters the results of their decision and must infer its appropriateness. While the second item is more a direct reflection of what could happen in the situation, the third item offers invisible feedback. Meters and other mechanisms that are “invisible” in the real world can be added to a scenario to give the intrinsic feedback. Clark (2013) advises incorporating both instructional and intrinsic feedback.

Immediate vs. delayed

Now, consider what is different in this feedback:

In the first example, the learner gets frequent and immediate feedback. This type of feedback is good for novice learners (Clark, 2013). The second offers delayed feedback. In addition to choosing this for more advanced learning situations, Clark also recommends this type of feedback when the scenario is related to troubleshooting or problem-solving because it offers the learner the opportunity to learn from the less desired path. This underscores her point that scenario-based e-learning is based on the idea that “… mistakes can provide a useful learning experience.” (Clark, 2013, p. 104).

Focus

Finally, let’s compare the differences here:

Clark (2013) classifies feedback into three areas based on its focus: 1) solution-focused, 2) task-process focused, and 3) learning-focused. The first example here gives solution-focused feedback because it simply indicates whether the learner’s choice is correct or incorrect and explains why; this option is good for less complex situations like this example. The second is an example of feedback that is task-process focused, which as the name implies, details the process for arriving at a solution and is recommended for learning situations that require problem-solving. The final example offers learning-focused feedback, which directs the learner towards resources to address knowledge gaps.

Note also that feedback can contain more than one focus; for example, the first and second items above could be combined to give both the solution and the process if this would best help the learner.

Final thoughts

Awareness of these different possibilities for feedback and consideration of the scenario’s specific learning goals can lead to making the most effective choices. One more concern is to make sure that the learner notices the feedback. Clark (2013) notes, “Often learners give feedback only a cursory review. They might look at the overall outcomes of their solution responses but not really consider what they have learned and how they might respond more effectively next time” (p. 109). To counteract this, it’s recommended to prompt reflection, such as through questions about the feedback or a checklist.

For more discussion of scenario-based e-learning, check out my blog post Branching out with scenario-based e-learning.

References

Clark, R. C. (2013). Scenario-based e-learning: Evidence-based guidelines for online workforce learning. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons. 

Wonder, S. (1974). Tell Me Something Good. [Recorded by Rufus and C. Khan]. On Rags to Rufus. Torrence, California: Quantum Studios.