Education for all

Educate students and staff about effective feedback, the different ways in which they receive it and their role within it

Feedback plays a significant part in the learning process and students should therefore be actively encouraged, from the outset, to understand the key issues relating to assessment and feedback at University. The learning, assessment and feedback processes at University can be very different from those which students have encountered previously (at school or in another country).

In managing students’ expectations on assessment feedback, Faculties must ensure that all programmes, at an early stage, (for example, at induction and at the start of modules):

• introduce students to the purposes and methods of assessment
• indicate the range and types of feedback that will be made available to students, and explain how and why these may differ from their previous experiences
• highlight the sources of additional support for learning that are available and how they may be accessed, if needed

Although it is important to educate students about feedback and assessment at an early stage, it is equally important to repeat this process throughout the year so that it becomes common knowledge. Staff must ensure they:

• convey the importance of recognising feedback as a learning tool or a tool for learning
• encourage students to see the relevance of feedback from one module to another (esp. for transferrable skills)

Students too have a role to play in educating themselves about feedback and assessment practices. They must ensure that:

• they are aware of the different ways in which they receive feedback and how they can make it more effective to eventually improve marks and more generally their learning
• they actively seek feedback from staff and/or peers when required
• they question feedback if they don’t understand it or disagree with it
• they give feedback to staff in a constructive way

Safe communication

Promote a safe and comfortable environment which nurtures students’ agency and encourages them to engage with staff into a feedback dialogue

• feedback should be easily accessible and in one place. A dialogue is more likely to happen when the environment is the same for everyone. In other words, one joined system is better than several disconnected systems, e.g. Blackboard, e-Folio, e-Assignments, as these can obstruct a continuing feedback dialogue
• communication should take place through multiple channels to facilitate effective feedback. Staff and students may prefer some channels to others so a variety of channels ensures that everyone is satisfied
• communication with students should be in a way that they can understand: use electronic over hand written feedback (if not possible, make sure it is legible) and explain any technical language or jargon if necessary
• feedback is a personal interaction; it’s important to know that both parties care and are involved in the feedback process. Ideally, a rapport should be established between staff and students so that negative or positive feedback is seen as constructive, which will also build students’ confidence

Feedback should be perceived as an ongoing dialogue[ii] between staff and students as opposed to a series of disconnected events. This dialogue should help students improve their work and staff their practice. An ongoing feedback dialogue means that any misunderstanding can be cleared and feedback is perceived in the right way. This is especially true for international students and staff who face challenges associated with coming from a different learning culture and speaking another language. Through dialogue, they can gradually improve their understanding of feedback by literally talking it through, and avoiding misperception and misunderstanding.

Active engagement

Encourage students to take control of their learning[iii][iv] and staff to enable them to do so, so that both can engage in the feedback process and make it more effective[v]

Feedback that staff gives to students on an assignment is only half the story when it comes to improving their work. However useful and constructive feedback is, students will get very little from it by just looking at it. They need to actively engage with it to make the most of it and to actually benefit from it in terms of their next assignment and more generally their learning.[vi]

Feedback is a two-way street. Students have a role and a responsibility in making feedback effective as they are equal contributors in the university learning community. Engagement in feedback is important because it is a way of engaging in critical discussion, which is an important skill that students gain from university. It is a key difference between learning at school and in higher education. To make this happen,

• encourage students to engage with each other and promote a constructive culture of peer feedback. Assessing peer work enables students to internalise the assessment criteria and use it for their own benefit. Peer and self-assessment educate students about marking standards as they experience it themselves, which as a result helps them assess their own work better before handing it in and compare their thoughts with the lecturer’s mark/comments[vii]
• engagement is more likely if students can see their progress. Keeping a record of feedback is important for visualising progress
• make feedback real for students. Get students to reflect on previous feedback and make the connection between now and next time. In other words, make the link between feedback and feedforward, allow them to see the long-term use of feedback and get them to commit to future improvements
• make feedback available before students have to submit their next assignment as they will be able to use it for the assignment and therefore more likely to engage with it
• prioritise feedback rather than overwhelm students with too much criticism; it is then more likely that students will work on a few items, e.g. 2 to 3 areas for improvement, as they will appear more manageable.