Feedback is important in the context of this module, as it is part of the support that a student will gain as part of their learning through assessment.
There has been substantial work undertaken recently looking at perceptions of students and academic staff on their role in the feedback process. Much of this research and commentary has focused on the conceptual change from feedback being a ‘product’ (produced by the educator, and received passively by the learner), to a process of engagement and discussion between the learner and the educator. Ideas around student entitlement is fundamentally embedded in this discourse.
In order for feedback to be a process of dialogue and engagement between the learner and educator, the boundaries of entitlement and expectations need to be set, as with other aspects of assessment. This figure (extracted from the EAT-Erasmus decision-making cards), summarises some activities to undertake with students which will enhance students’ understanding of their role in the assessment and feedback process.
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PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
Develop an action plan to support your students to reflect on feedback – e.g. what they understood and what is unclear; how they are going to advance their work:
• Rank yourself on these activities:
• Reflect on one area for improvement
• Develop an action plan
REFLECTION ACTIVITY
What would effective active student engagement in feedback look like in your discipline or context?
Where do the responsibilities lie for you as an educator, and the student as a learner in the provision, use, and feed-forward in the feedback provided on your assessment(s)?
To what extent are the responsibilities of students within the feedback process made explicit to them? Are they clear what you expect them to do with the feedback you share with them?
PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
Here are some activities you can do with students to manage their expectations and highlight their responsibilities relating to feedback. What would you say were the rationales and potential impacts of these activities in your own context/discipline?
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