Examining Faculty Feedback to Graduate Students: A Collaborative Self-Study

• In Event: Supporting Across the Stages of Teacher Development: Self-Studies of Mentorship for Pre-service, Graduate, and Doctoral Students

Abstract

This collaborative self-study explores how two faculty members in a graduate teacher education program navigate the complex process of providing written feedback on student academic writing. Using think-aloud protocols, reflective journals, and course artifacts, we analyzed the cognitive, emotional, and contextual dimensions of feedback practice. Findings revealed five key paradoxes (Correction vs. Capacity Building, Challenge vs. Support, Structure vs. Flexibility, Investment vs. Uncertainty, and Teaching vs. Modeling) that shaped our feedback decisions. These paradoxes highlight the sophisticated judgment required in faculty feedback and offer a framework for understanding feedback as a dynamic, relational practice within teacher education.

Authors

• Mary Antony Bair, Grand Valley State University

• David E. Bair, Grand Valley State University