Engaging students in the use of feedback
Carmen Tomas 

Introduction

This CADQ resource focuses on how colleagues can help students to better understand and engage with feedback and hence to use it more effectively in their learning. A review of techniques to promote active engagement is presented along with consideration of research into their effectiveness.

Difficulties that students have with understanding and using feedback have been well researched. Students in transition from secondary to tertiary education experience a range of challenges in the way they engage with feedback on assessments. Particular aspects that present difficulties for students are:

• Understanding task requirements and marking criteria, and
• Using feedback from past assignments to inform work on future assignments (read more). 

How to…

• A report by Nicol (2009) Transforming assessment and feedback includes a list of techniques which are intended to encourage the empowerment of students and their engagement with feedback, see pages 42-52.
• Oxford Brookes have a report (2009) on engaging students with assessment feedback which includes some illustrations of how activities to promote engagement and understanding can be included in modules, see pages 42 on.
• The University of Edinburgh has a comprehensive set of resources on various feedback issues, entitled Enhancing feedback.

Case studies
Chris Rust reports on a series of interventions which involved students in the feedback process: marking sample essays, self-assessment, peer marking and peer feedback. See page three onwards in the online PDF document.

NTU regulations and guidance
The Academic Standards and Quality Handbook has guidance on feedback requirements in Section 15H; a PDF download includes reference to the recent changes.

You might also be interested in peer feedback.