What is it? When students receive written feedback on draft assignments, this is considered to be formative feedback; this contrasts with summative feedback which students will be given on final assignments. Using formative feedback, students are able to identify their strengths and weaknesses in order to make the necessary improvements before submitting the final version. […]
Feedback after failed exams
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in Informal feedback, Verbal feedback, Written feedback
What is it? When students fail an exam or do not do as well as expected, they often feel ashamed and are reluctant to speak to their lecturer or tutor about it. Therefore, it is important that academic staff foster an environment in which students have the confidence to seek feedback regardless of their performance, […]
The Sandwich Method
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in Verbal feedback, Written feedback
What is it? A popular method to give feedback to students across disciplines is the Sandwich Method. This means that the lecturer starts off by offering positive feedback on what the student did well; then provides constructive criticism on what the student didn’t do so well; and ends on a positive note by giving the […]
Regular informal and peer feedback in seminars
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in Informal feedback, Peer feedback
What is it? Students regularly receive informal peer feedback during their weekly seminars. For example, if students are asked to do a presentation in front of the class, there will usually be a question and answer session whether both the tutor and other students will have the opportunity to offer feedback they may have regarding […]
Personal Academic Tutor
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in 1-to-1/ detailed feedback
What is it? At the University of Southampton, all students are allocated a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT); this person is usually a member of academic staff who will be there to support the student on a one-to-one basis throughout their time at Southampton. The students’ Personal Academic Tutor has a number of roles including: helping […]
Mix of staff and peer feedback
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in Informal feedback, Peer feedback, Verbal feedback
What is it? Many students are under the common misconception that only staff can give feedback. However, this doesn’t have to be the case; feedback can come from a whole range of people including lecturers, peers and postgraduate teaching assistants. For example, during dissertation sessions and tutor groups, students may receive a wealth of feedback […]
Giving yourself feedback
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in 1-to-1/ detailed feedback, Informal feedback
What is it? Lots of people assume that feedback has to come from other people for it to be useful; however, this is not necessarily true, since students are more than capable of giving themselves feedback. For example, many students find that recording oral assessments facilitate self-evaluation since it allows them to not only review […]
Feedback in laboratory sessions, skills sessions and action learning groups
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in Class/ general feedback, Informal feedback, Verbal feedback
What is it? Students are often given feedback in a number of different settings other than lectures, including laboratory sessions, skills sessions and action learning groups. In laboratory sessions, feedback can come from lecturers, postgraduate students and peers. This type of feedback can be helpful for students looking to improve and enhance their practical skills. […]
Emails
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in 1-to-1/ detailed feedback
What is it? The vast majority of academic staff at the University of Southampton regularly encourage their students to contact them via email if they are experiencing any problems regarding their studies. This is an excellent opportunity for students to receive individual feedback on a one-to-one basis without having to visit their tutor or lecturer […]
Computer-mediated annotations (e.g. E-Assignments, Turnitin)
Posted on by Laurence Georgin in 1-to-1/ detailed feedback, Class/ general feedback, Feedback technologies
What is it? Following a number of low scores on the National Student Survey, several departments across the University of Southampton started to use online platforms such as E-Assignments or Turnitin to mark assignments and deliver feedback. This has proved to be particularly successful with students who maintain that annotated scripts are very helpful and […]