What makes feedback useful?

Sample writing for the prototype, not an authored essay by George.

Feedback can tell us whether an answer is right. It can also help us notice how we arrived at it. Those feel like different jobs.

Imagine a learner who reaches the right answer for the wrong reason. A tool that checks only the result might move on. A tool that asks for an explanation might uncover something worth spending more time on.

Making room to think

There is a tension between helping someone continue and doing too much of the thinking for them. A hint can open a path, but it can also close off the possibility of finding another one.

What would feedback look like if its purpose were to invite the next useful attempt?

That question changes what we might ask of educational software. Instead of responding only to an answer, it could respond to the reasoning behind it.

A question to keep open

When should a tool offer a hint, and when should it wait?

There may not be one answer. The useful response could depend on the learner, the task, and what has happened so far.

Part of an ongoing exploration of education.