In yesterday's post, I wrote on the perils and promises of feedback and created a short quiz. This kind of "active learning" activity is an effective teaching strategy for increasing retention.

Today, I'll share four specific types of feedback. What do you think? Did I miss anything?

#1 Acknowledge and Encourage

This type of feedback is especially useful early in an online discussion. A short acknowledgment or note of encouragement communicates that you're interested and following the conversation. Bonus points for specificity for what you like or why you're interested. Something as simple as an emoticon for head nodding or a gif can be like saying “uh-huh" or "keep going.”

#2 Ask questions and prompt deeper thinking

This type of feedback is useful for digging deeper into a topic or discussion. It could mean:

• Asking clarifying questions (How is a Roth IRA different from a 401K or traditional IRA?)

• Suggesting patterns or connections to new/other concepts

• Asking questions that push or challenge one's thinking on a topic or related discussion.

#3 Expand the Conversation

This type of feedback is useful for bringing other perspectives into the discussion. It might mean sharing resources or tagging someone with related ideas. It can prompt reflection on similarities/contrasts in the thinking of other ideas and perspectives.

#4 Provide expertise

There are going to be some topics that are totally new. But for the ones that you're knowledgeable in, consider sharing your perspective or experience. It can validate and extend the recipient's thinking on a topic.

This was adapted from the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). It is based on resources in ACUE's Online Teaching Toolkit.

Take the quiz: Fishing for Feedback Matching Gam