Delayed Feedback: The Slow Wi-Fi of Education

Imagine this:

An administrator observes a teacher in action, noting strengths and areas for growth. They plan to share feedback, but time slips away. By the time they do, the teacher has moved on to new challenges. What could have been useful, immediate insight now feels distant and harder to apply.

It’s like slow Wi-Fi—by the time it loads, you’ve already moved on. Too often, evaluations and feedback arrive too late to make a real impact.

The Science Behind Timely Feedback

Research confirms what we already know: the sooner feedback is given, the more effective it is.

• Immediate feedback leads to greater improvement in cognitive and motor skills. The chart below shows that immediate feedback has a higher effect size (0.48) compared to delayed feedback (0.32), reinforcing the importance of real-time insights (Source).

• Teachers implement strategies better with real-time feedback. A Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis study showed that immediate feedback improves accuracy and effectiveness in instructional methods. (Source)

• Students perform better when teachers get faster feedback. The Education Endowment Foundation found that timely feedback enhances teaching effectiveness, leading to stronger student outcomes. (Source)

Make It Work Without Adding More Work

School administrators don’t need more paperwork—they need better systems that make feedback fast and useful:

• Capture feedback in real time

• Align it with required frameworks

• Connect teachers to relevant PD instantly

When feedback arrives at the right time, it’s more than just an evaluation - it’s a tool for growth. Don't wait weeks when real improvement happens now.