Be interested in what the student says to you;

If you mentioned artists and the student hasn’t look at them yet, don’t take it personal; Perhaps it is good time to look at them together;

Smile;

If the student gets defensive;

Breathe;

Never ever get defensive too. Remember you are there to help the student; And there might be a million reasons why the student hasn’t done work or research, most of the times they do but they don’t think it counts. Be positive.

Guide the student asking: If we have to pick two artists that are relevant to your work, who would they be?

student: So and so!

me: I would love to know more about these artists, could you describe me their work and their interests?

student: describing…

me: Oh I can see why these artists can be interesting to you. Thinking about the description of their work how did they influence your practice.

The student talks and makes connections between their work and the artist´s work.

Me: smile and tell the student: I would advise you to take notes on what you said. You have started contextualising your practice; You could delve your readings into these artists and their interests.

Thinking of positive and negative emotions, in the book The Slow Professor by Maggie Berg and Barabar K. Seeber, in the second chapter Pedagogy and Pleasure, offers an insight on how this emotions affects learning: “Barbara L. Fredrickson´s extensive research on the psychology of group dynamics has prompted her to formulate the ´broaden and build theory of positive emotions. Negative emotions were of evolutionary benefit to human beings, she surmises, because they prompted the quick and decisive action necessary to escape danger; positive emotions, on the other had, resulted in what we could call higher-order activities. Previous analysis suggest that: ´Joy, for instance, broadens by creating the urge to play, push the limits, and be creative... Interest, a phenomenologically distinct positive emotion, broadens by creating the urge to explore, take in new information and experiences, and expand the self in the process... Moreover, positive emotions also make us psychologically resilient in the long term by undoing the damage done by negative emotions: ´to the extent that positive emotions broaden the scopes of attention and cognition, enabling flexible and creating thinking, they should also augment peoples enduring coping resources` and ´enhance people's subsequent emotional well-being`(223). This is an impressive list of the immediate and lasting benefits of positive emotions. Who would not want creative, intellectually expansive, and resilient students? “

After reflecting on how emotions are important on how to pass the information to the students I will now delve into other ways to increase the chance of them getting good feedback:

Highlights on HEA Feedback toolkit  by Higher Education Academy

NUS assessment and feedback bench marking tool

“The first, and perhaps the most significant, is that year on year, the lowest scores received within the National Student Survey (NSS) are for the area of Feedback”

Feedback can… 

• raise students’ consciousness of the strengths of their work;
• boost students’ confidence and self-concept regarding personal strengths and abilities;
• provide guidance on areas for further development of skills and enhancement of work ;
• enhance students’ own judgement, understanding of assessment criteria and ability to self-audit their own work

Why do some of my students don´t look at their feedback? And What can I do to encourage them to pay attention and act on the feedback I give them?

I can encourage students to read my feedback 

Here are some strategies to make your feedback more effective: 

• Give your feedback high profile 
• Give feedback before, or without marks 
• Embed some dialogue with students within your feedback process 
• Promote Self-Feedback 
• Staged assignments 
• Involve students in actively doing something with the feedback, support, and follow-up. 

Engaging them in evaluating their own work, you will encourage them to later compare your feedback with their own. This involves work to help students develop the Self-Assessment skills they need to use feedback to improve future work. 

Notes on what students said in the video above:

• Written feedback on individual things. Be specific -> an essay: breakdown the points in feedback;
• Come an sit with me and say the things that can be improved;
• meet one on one – breakdown things properly;
• written on your essays;
• precise feedback on things that are working well and things that are not working well.
• Details really count.

To expand students´s knowledge, it is never just one approach or one way, it is a mixture of practical things with kindness, gentle and positive approach,

I would also add time. They need time to absorb this information.