Peer Feedback: The Do’s and Don’ts

Updated: 20 November, 2024

Organizations and educational institutions have increasingly recognized peer feedback as an important aspect of performance management and skill training in both academic and professional settings. As a pedagogical tool, it encompasses critical elements such as fostering collaborative learning environments, promoting self-assessment, and facilitating peer-to-peer tutoring. These components work synergistically to create a robust framework for peer feedback that supports deep learning and skill development. In this article, we will discuss the value of feedback as well as different feedback models and the do’s and don’ts of giving feedback. 

Why is feedback important?

• By emphasizing individual accountability for past results instead of periodic performance appraisals, it motivates continuous self-evaluation and promotes steady talent development.
• As work becomes more team-based and interdependent, and trainers have less direct visibility into their teams’ day-to-day interactions, high-quality peer input has become a useful source of effective and less intimidating performance feedback. 
• The valuable feedback process facilitates the delivery of high quality information to trainees, encourages motivational beliefs and self-esteem, and clarifies what good performance is i.e. goals, criteria, and expected outcomes.
• It unlocks change and innovation by encouraging the sharing of insight from one peer to the other

The Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Oxford argues that giving students the opportunity to explore evaluation criteria and standards for a specific task enables them to self-assess and exposes them to different approaches to the task. They also provide resources for designing peer feedback activities.

Creating evaluation rubrics that clearly define expectations for reviewers, facilitating practice opportunities, and demonstrating examples of high-quality feedback in a timely and personalized manner determine the effectiveness of implementing peer feedback in educational programs.

What are peer assessment models?

Feedback models are structured approaches used to provide constructive feedback in various settings, including education, healthcare and professional environments. They offer clear frameworks for delivering feedback effectively, ensuring clarity and promoting self-reflection and improvement. Some popular feedback models are: 

• Situation-Behaviour-Impact (SBI) Model: Developed by the Center for Creative Leadership, it focuses on three key elements (situation, behavior, impact). The person providing the feedback starts by describing the specific context where the behavior occurred and then outlines the observed actions done in that setting. Lastly, they explain the effect of the behavior on themselves, the team and/or the organization. This model focuses on observed facts rather than assumptions or judgements. It is particularly useful for both positive and constructive feedback, helping recipients understand the context and consequences of their actions. 

• 360-Degree Feedback: The 360-degree feedback model involves collecting input from multiple sources, including supervisors, peers, subordinates and sometimes even clients or customers. The process typically includes self-assessment by the employee; feedback collection from various supervisors; analysis and compilation of feedback; sharing results with the person being evaluated; and creating a development plan based on the feedback. This comprehensive approach provides a well-rounded view of an individual’s performance, offering insight that might not be apparent from a single perspective. It is valuable for leadership development and identifying blind spots in an individual’s performance. 

• BOOST Feedback Model: The acronym ‘BOOST’ stands for Balanced, Observed, Objective, Specific, Timely. It centers around providing both positive and constructive feedback (balanced) based on directly observed behaviors (observed), and focusing on facts and outcomes instead of opinions (objective) through detailed examples (specific). This model emphasizes the importance of delivering balanced, fact-based feedback as soon as possible after the observed behavior (timely) so as to ensure the feedback is relevant and fresh in the recipient’s mind. 
• Team-based learning (TBL): Team based learning is a structured form of small-group learning that emphasizes student preparation outside of the classroom and application of knowledge in class/training sessions. It is preferred in healthcare settings due to its collaborative nature (similar to that in hospitals) and its ability to evaluate theoretical-practical activities (ie. clinical problem-solving). This feedback model consists of several key components:

• • A readiness assurance process (RAP) in which individual students (iRAP) and teams (tRAP) complete a test before the activity to assess their preparation, promoting discussion and peer teaching.

• • An immediate feedback session in which teams receive feedback on their tRAP answers from facilitators or trainers, identify knowledge gaps and clarify concepts through follow-up questions.

• • A team activities session where teams work on specific tasks, discuss different strategies and choices and report decisions simultaneously. This structure encourages teams to articulate their thinking and evaluate their reasoning when confronted with different decisions from other teams.
  • A peer evaluation in which students evaluate their teammates’ contributions to team activities, providing both quantitative and qualitative feedback. 

How do we integrate peer feedback?

Integrating feedback effectively is crucial for personal and professional development. The concept of integration relates to the Organismic Integration Theory (OIT), which focuses on the process of internalizing external motivations and regulations. It proposes a continuum of motivation ranging from amotivation to intrinsic motivation, with various forms of extrinsic motivation in between.

The OIT proposes two key components to feedback integration: internalization and integration. The former being the process by which individuals transform external regulations into internal motivations and the latter representing the most autonomous form of extrinsic motivation, where external regulations are fully assimilated into one’s sense of self. 

When receiving feedback, the goal is to move towards integration so that the feedback becomes part of one’s own values and goals. This process is supported by satisfying the three basic psychological needs identified in the Self Determination Theory (SDT): autonomy, competence and relatedness. You can read more about the Self Determination Theory here.

Things to consider when providing feedback to peers

A recent study conducted by Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB) used the TBL peer evaluation system to assist a group of medical students (ranging from year 1 to year 4 of their program) in providing feedback on peers’ cooperative learning skills multiple times throughout their preclinical years. The author and his team observed several recurring themes amongst participants:

1. Be prepared. The importance of preparation and instruction on how to provide and receive feedback, particularly how beneficial it would have been during the first two years of their medical program. The students recognized the value in developing these soft skills early on in their formative years as they felt it was translatable from a classroom setting to a clinical setting later.
2. Be flexible. While some participants did not appreciate the “cookie cutter” feeling of feedback models as they felt it hindered their ability to express themselves honestly, others felt a lack of objective benchmarks during the assessment made the evaluation seem “unfair” and “inconsistent.”
3. Keep the conversation going. Interestingly, students preferred to discuss feedback and the roadmap to its implementation via face-to-face instead of through an online survey. They found it easier to empathize and expand on the issues presented in the evaluation without altering the relationship with the other party.
4. Allow time for self reflection.  Direct quotes from students in the study suggested that going into a peer review after self-reflection helped make the assessment a more collaborative experience. Dive deeper on self reflection on our blog exploring its importance during healthcare training.
5. Be mindful. Two frequently mentioned barriers when providing peer feedback was the difficulty in identifying areas for improvement due to inexperience in peer assessment and the fear of offending their colleagues or causing other peers or faculty to view certain students unfavorably.

What to avoid when giving feedback?

“For peer feedback to succeed, there needs to be an institutional environment that encourages trust between peers and teachers and is also perceived as being a safe space where such feedback is seen as constructive and in the best interests of all parties” – Lerchenfeldt et al. (2023)

Creating a safe platform for feedback and normalizing its practice within an institution’s culture is essential, as it fosters open communication, enhances self-reflection and drives continuous improvement. By creating a designated space for feedback during performance reviews and training programs, trainees receive an opportunity to become better reviewers and encourage them to be more receptive to constructive feedback. This exercise also promotes accountability in the standards upheld by their professional guild and collaboration between peers who share different strengths in the workplace.

Some things to avoid when providing feedback are:

• Do not wait! Feedback should be punctual and timely so that it is relevant to the activities conducted which are fresh in the recipient’s mind.

• Do not rush into it. Allow yourself some time to reflect on your evaluation of specific actions in order to reflect on possible and objective improvements.

• Do not be vague. Try to be as explicit as possible when it comes to your feedback in order to provide a greater level of insight into your perspective of their performance.

• Do not forget to provide suggestions. Evaluators should always provide advice, suggestions or recommendations. Both parties should get together to create a plan of action with milestones to assist in addressing these areas, especially when giving constructive feedback. 

• Do not end it there. It is extremely important for both parties to follow up on the feedback to keep the momentum going as both work towards long term improvement. Schedule a follow up to check-in on the progress and answer any follow up questions they might have.

What are the 6 Ps of peer feedback?

• Poise: step into your feedback session with neutrality.

• Process: allow yourself time to metabolize the feedback.

• Positionality: consider the feedback from both perspectives, the provider’s and the receiver’s, and take into account their motives, positions and intent.

• Percolate: run the feedback through a simple decision tree to assess possible strategies towards improvement.

• Proceed: consistently practice the change steadily over a long period rather than make it all at once.
• Perspective: reflect on what you liked from the other party’s feedback style (i.e. the effectiveness of the communication style, the willingness to collaborate on strategies) and apply it into your own style the next time you give feedback.

How does Videolab contribute to peer feedback?

Videolab offers a secure, GDPR-compliant platform for recording and sharing medical consultations in an educational setting. Students can upload various types of consultations, including simulations, peer-to-peer sessions, and real patient interactions. The platform employs source encryption to ensure privacy. Videolab’s innovative features allow for self-reflection through time-stamped tagging and annotations, accessible to both students and instructors.

Instructors can provide targeted feedback on individual video segments or complete consultations using structured evaluation methods. By prioritizing security, efficiency, and ease of use, Videolab creates an ideal environment for providing feedback in a fast, detailed and structured manner. Since the videos are saved on the platform, instructors can give feedback to a larger number of students in a shorter time frame, as they do not have to be physically present for the activity session. 

Conclusion & Key Takeaway

In conclusion, quality improvement initiatives such as self-reflection and peer-to-peer feedback are powerful tools for personal and professional development in both academic and workplace settings. By understanding and implementing structured feedback models and creating a nurturing platform that encourages trust amongst trainees and trainers alike, we create a culture of continuous improvement and growth.

We hope you take away away the following from this article:

• The importance of creating a safe, trusting environment for feedback exchange
• The value of using established feedback models to provide structure and consistency
• The need for specificity, timeliness, and balance in feedback delivery
• The benefits of allowing time for reflection and integration of feedback
• The significance of follow-up and ongoing dialogue in the feedback process

As demonstrated by studies and expert opinions, peer feedback, when done correctly, can enhance learning outcomes, improve performance, and foster collaboration. Tools like Videolab further facilitate this process by providing secure platforms for recording, sharing, and annotating interactions, making feedback more accessible and efficient.

By embracing these principles and practices, individuals and organizations can harness the full potential of peer feedback, leading to more engaged, skilled, and adaptable teams in both educational and professional environments.

Bibliography

1. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/team-based-learning
2. https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-020-02287-y
3. https://teamflect.com/blog/employee-engagement/feedback-models/
4. https://hrconcept.com.pl/en_US/feedback-models/
5. https://www.kritik.ca/blog-post/value-of-peer-feedback-beyond-the-classroom
6. https://psychologyfanatic.com/organismic-integration-theory/
7. https://www.sicotests.com/newpsyarticle/Organismic-integration-theory
8. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263237321000293
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10403473/
10. https://www.ctl.ox.ac.uk/peer-feedback