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Inquiry Project Rationale: Fueling Growth Through Feedback

When I first decided that I wanted to major in education, specifically English education, I heard virtually the same comment from everyone I told: “Good luck keeping up with the grading.” I heard this from my parents, teachers, coaches, friends, the dentist, everyone. 


I have to admit that each of these people had a point. I’ve seen how grading has stressed out all of my mentor teachers in each placement. I’ve seen the number of paper submissions grow on the “to-grade” list in Canvas in my current placement. I’ve watched that number grow and still had moments where I’ve had to close the tab because I read something I couldn’t quite compute in the moment or couldn’t figure out how to approach grading a students’ attempt, even with the rubric right in front of me. Grading takes time, especially in a subject like English where there is no one right answer and feedback is essential. But despite the issues with grading, I also kind of love it.


Okay, I’ll admit it. I don’t love the idea of sitting down in front of the computer until my eyes hurt or hunched over a stack of papers for hours on end. But I do love the idea of giving the students the quantitative and qualitative feedback to grow their work to the best it can be. I’ve always enjoyed proofreading and editing. For as long as I can remember, friends have come up to me with their emails and papers and asked me to look them over for them, to help them improve their ideas and clarity. Similar to those moments, I’d like to think of grading as a kind of conference with a students’ work. Grading is a chance to meet with a student through their work and to improve the student’s execution of their ideas through specific and intentional feedback. If I glamorize the concept of grading like that internally, maybe I can avoid some of the burnout and disdain toward it that seems to come with the profession.


I know it is cliche to say, but like all teachers and teachers-to-be, I love seeing things click in students’ brains. I love seeing the “aha” moments. I love asking a prompting question that helps the puzzle pieces fall into place and watching students apply my feedback successfully. But I’ve also seen feedback fall short. It can be difficult for students to access online feedback, so they don’t use it. Sometimes the language is too unclear or just too overwhelming to be helpful. Sometimes, it seems like students just don’t apply the feedback, and the reason why is unclear. Verbal feedback is great in the moment, but it can be difficult to know if students will remember it the next time they open an assignment. 


There’s a lot that I already know (or think I know) about giving feedback. But I’m sure there is a lot more I don’t know. I know that feedback is an essential part of the classroom, an essential part of student growth toward learning outcomes. I also know that many current forms of feedback are ineffective and inefficient for teachers and students alike. I know that immediate feedback is extremely important for student growth, and that the human brain can only process so many items at a time. I know that feedback needs to include praise as well as constructive criticism to be impactful, and relatively concise for students to actually use it. It should be actionable; useful feedback does not just mean pointing out what students did wrong. It should be much more focused on what you are looking for in their work, and what small steps they can take to get their work from where it is to where you want it to be. 


With all of that in mind, some research questions that I would like to explore in my inquiry project are:

  • Is verbal or written feedback more effective at helping students meet learning outcomes, and why?

  • What methods of feedback are most efficient and effective for students and teachers alike, specifically in the ELA classroom?

  • How does feedback impact student motivation and work quality in the ELA classroom?


The obvious next step is to actually research these questions and perhaps better define them. What makes a feedback routine efficient and/or sustainable? What even counts as feedback? I will also use a variety of sources, including academic research and data, as well as more anecdotal evidence from educators in the field. Additionally, as I learn and research, I will apply my findings in my own field placement, so I can note if I can see any changes in feedback effectiveness for myself.


Comments

  1. Katie CramerFebruary 17, 2026 at 7:44 AM

    Avery, this is a fascinating topic and one that is obviously important to you AND connected to your work in the writing center and the classroom! Your research questions are intriguing, including the emphasis on efficiency and sustainability. Related to your distinctions between written and verbal feedback, I wonder too if there’s a distinction between handwritten and typed feedback (or perhaps feedback that’s available on a screen vs. feedback that’s available on paper—do students receive feedback differently on screen vs. on paper?). That is fantastic that you’re going to be able to apply your learning—and perhaps even collect data—to determine how different forms of feedback impact student learning/receptivity. I’m excited to learn more about your findings. We all are!

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  2. Katie CramerFebruary 17, 2026 at 7:53 AM

    P.S. You should really consider sharing your findings at the 2026 KATE Conference (the early proposal deadline is usually June 1). I bet you would have A LOT of attendees at your session. And then you could write up a practitioner piece to be published in the 2027 issue of Kansas English (deadline Jan. 15, 2027). You're doing good work here. You should share it with a larger audience.

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