Using Feedback and Evaluation Effectively in Clinical Supervision

Abstract

Feedback and evaluation are both integral parts of daily communications that supervisors and instructors use to help employees and students learn and grow. The purpose of this article is to provide guidelines for the effective use of feedback and evaluation in the supervision and performance assessment of students and staff therapists and assistants. I define feedback and evaluation and give examples of their uses. Reactions of students and staff to feedback and evaluation are identified. Carkhuff's phases of helping are described and integrated in a model with interaction characteristics and strategies that supervisors and instructors use when giving feedback and evaluation. I describe and suggest applications of the model for using feedback and evaluation to facilitate the development of independent and competent physical therapists and assistants.

A Learning Contract in Clinical Education and Fieldwork

“…There is a contrasting view about formal feedback. Henry (1985) in his contribution to feedback in the clinical setting also state that feedback can be formal or informal. However in explaining formal feedback, he said it is a communication which is in the form of a written document such as the one provided to the radiography student stated above.…”

“…Feedback and evaluation are all integrated parts of every day communication that instructors and supervisors use to help students and workers to learn and grow (Henry, 1985). Providing true feedback is not easy because it has been confused with judgments made during evaluation (Ende, 1983;Henry, 1985).…”

“…Providing true feedback is not easy because it has been confused with judgments made during evaluation (Ende, 1983;Henry, 1985). Feedback is formative and provides information devoid of any judgements compared to evaluation which is also summative (Ende, 1983).…”

“…The most important thing according to Ende is to do it with some skill and understanding of the process. Feedback allows a choice on the part of the learner or receiver and also contains more specificity than evaluation because; it is reporting facts (Henry, 1985). Evaluation although make use of facts, as a basis for opinions, these facts are most often not directly expressed (Henry, 1985).…”

“…Feedback allows a choice on the part of the learner or receiver and also contains more specificity than evaluation because; it is reporting facts (Henry, 1985). Evaluation although make use of facts, as a basis for opinions, these facts are most often not directly expressed (Henry, 1985). He also belief that the reason behind students confusing evaluation with feedback is that when the communication is factual, but the tone of voice is judgemental, the confusion sets in.…”