Feedback as a learning process with the learner as central to it
It is significant that so far in this module we have not referred to ‘giving’ feedback to a student. An important concept, mentioned earlier, is to view feedback as a process rather than a product. One of the key problems with the feedback process within the sector, is that it is seen largely as a transactional activity. The educator gives the feedback to the student.
At that point, the educator’s role is ended, once the feedback has been given away.
However, feedback is best conceptualised as a process of development, involving guidance from the expert, and internalising and questioning from the learner. The feedback provided should encourage this dialogue, and prompt questions, rather than just providing one-way advice.
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‘‘feedback must be conceptualised as a supported sequential process, rather than a series of unrelated events’’ (Archer, 2010, p. 106).
There is therefore a need to move away from a receipt model of feedback to encourage student ownership and direction of the feedback process through ensuring transparency of the assessment process, and student access to requisite information to enable them to make informed decisions (Evans, 2013).
“Feedback should not be about the delivery or receipt of information at all. Instead, it should be about identifying appropriate challenges (i.e., desirable difficulties) that enable individuals to maintain their perspective as competent and conscientious practitioners while also continually evolving their practice” (Eva & Regehr, 2013, p. 464).
The learner needs to be a central agent in the assessment and feedback process, and therefore aware of criteria of success, and their role in developing competency in self-assessment (Boud, 2015). The student needs therefore to engage with the feedback actively, and to use it, think about it, potentially disagree with it, and ask for detail and further clarification if aspects of it are unclear.
So, as a result:
* Efforts should be on supporting students to build capacity to seek, interpret and use feedback rather than focus all efforts on providing expert feedback (Du Toit, 2012; Nicol, 2009).
* More attention needs to be placed on the mechanisms and procedures of implementing formative feedback strategies to enhance self-regulation (Bose & Rengel, 2009).
* The most direct approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of feedback is… for teachers to audit their students’ subsequent work themselves, and to adjust their feedback in response to the results’ (O’Donovan, 2014, p. 1028).
Of key importance is considering what the best method is to give feedback in relation to the nature of the task. Feedback is commonly considered to be written comments on a script. However, any form of guidance that changes a student’s learning activities or behaviours is effective feedback.
Verbal guidance or comments/commendations are powerful forms of feedback, as is the opportunity to compare work with exemplars, with the student generating their own feedback, or working with peers to do so.
More adapted forms of feedback are possible through utilisation of generative artificial intelligence technologies. Using data with students to demonstrate the benefits and limitations of certain approaches to learning on outcomes can be valuable (Evans et al., 2019).