An Exploration of Feedback Using Hattie and Timperley's Feedback Levels

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Training
• Feedback Models

Background:

• Effective feedback is crucial for clinical training.
• Hattie and Timperley's Model of Feedback to Enhance Learning (MFEL) categorizes feedback into task, process, self-regulation, and self levels.
• Few medical education studies have applied the MFEL.

Purpose of the Study:

• To utilize the MFEL to analyze the content of documented workplace-based feedback.
• To explore the applicability of the MFEL within a family medicine residency program.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study using learning analytics.
• Analysis of de-identified field notes documenting workplace-based feedback from a Canadian family medicine residency program.
• Coding feedback using the MFEL levels and descriptive statistical analysis of frequencies and combinations.

Main Results:

• Of 2,250 field notes, 18% lacked feedback.
• The majority of feedback (60%) contained a single level, with task (76%) being most common.
• The most frequent feedback combination was process and task (92.1%).

Conclusions:

• Hattie and Timperley's MFEL provides a framework for analyzing documented feedback in medical education.
• The MFEL can help identify faculty development needs to enhance feedback effectiveness in residency programs.