Students tell us what good written feedback looks like

Voelkel, Susanne, Varga-Atkins, Tunde ORCID: 0000-0002-9492-4284 and Mello, Luciane V (2020) Students tell us what good written feedback looks like. FEBS Open Bio, 10 (5). pp. 692-706.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.12841

Abstract

Feedback can be an important element of learning, but only if students engage with it. Students are only likely to engage with feedback that they find useful. This study aimed to identify characteristics of written feedback perceived by students as effective. We used a mixed-method approach, integrating quantitative and qualitative data that were collected through the analysis of feedback that was identified by students as good, a student questionnaire, as well as interviews and a focus group exploring students' views on what good feedback looks like. Although the results show that length and composition of 'good' feedback can be extremely variable, some common characteristics could be identified, leading to a set of recommendations for staff marking written assessments. According to students, good feedback should be detailed and specific, and it should tell students how they can improve. Students also find it important that feedback is honest and constructive. In addition, positive reinforcement was identified as important by the focus group, although few examples of good written feedback on the assignment contained any direct praise. Surprisingly, feedforward which might help students in other modules did not feature highly in students' perceptions of good feedback, possibly indicating a focus by students on improving the current assignment rather than on future assignments.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	effective feedback, feedback, feedforward, student perceptions
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	08 Feb 2021 08:12
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 23:00
DOI:	10.1002/2211-5463.12841
Open Access URL:	https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1...
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3115307