The Characteristics and Effectiveness of Feedback Interventions Applied in Early Childhood Settings

Abstract

Because research has shown that providing information alone does not have an impact on educators’ behavior, supervisors and other individuals interested in personnel preparation are becoming interested in providing early childhood educators with continuous feedback about their classroom performance. Reviews of the literature on performance feedback have been conducted in the field of organization behavior management; however, a compilation of early childhood information was needed. Nineteen studies conducted in early childhood (i.e., infant/toddler through fourth grade) classrooms were reviewed to determine the characteristics of performance feedback provided to early childhood educators. Intervention effectiveness was then assessed using visual analysis of graphed data. Across studies, an immediate and clear feedback effect was displayed in the majority of tiers (participants, settings, or behaviors), contributing to the conclusion that performance feedback is a promising practice.