Intrinsic feedback

Summary
Feedback which is an inherent part of the learning process can be described as intrinsic feedback. It can be contrasted with feedback which is created in an ad hoc way in response to individual assessments. An intrinsic feedback approach seeks to foster a culture of feedback among students and could be characterised by the following features:

• Feedback is given whenever and wherever it will most benefit learning.
• Feedback is intrinsic to each task and is part of the learning process.
• Feedback is formative as well as summative.
• Feedback is exchanged through a range of ways including tutor, self and peer feedback.

Discussion
Arguably, the most effective way of empowering student learning through feedback is by adopting an intrinsic approach to feedback. Intrinsic feedback can be defined as feedback which is an inherent part of the student learning experience rather than something which is simply created as a response to an assessment task. By its nature this kind of feedback is embedded in  the disciplinary context,  and it is developmental in nature. Intrinsic feedback may consist of feedback from the tutor, peers or may be self-generated. Intrinsic feedback may be contrasted with extrinsic feedback, a term which describes someone's evaluation of an action where the feedback is generated in a context external to the action itself (Laurillard 1993). Laurillard contrasts this with intrinsic feedback in which feedback is generated from within the context of the action itself.

The adoption of an intrinsic approach to feedback involves considering feedback as a learning opportunity for the student; one that is integral to their studies and contributes to overall learning outcomes in the way that a seminar, tutorial, assessment or project might. Implicit is the idea that feedback should be given whenever it would benefit learning most effectively, including wherever appropriate within class etc. Intrinsic feedback may  be generated in response to a submitted assignment, although this kind of feedback should contribute to students' overall learning not be restricted to a comment on the mark awarded. Adopting an intrinsic approach to feedback implies nurturing a culture of feedback among students themselves so that students can understand the numerous ways in which their learning can be, enhanced through reflection, both through peer and self reflection as well as staff comments and marking.

An intrinsic approach to feedback necessitates a holistic understanding of the relationships between feedback and assessment and the ways in which both contribute to learning. Race (2010, p. 123) illustrates the wider implications of feedback and assessment practice in the recent publication Blue Skies: New thinking about the future of education where he discusses how teaching, learning and assessment should evolve. He cites seven factors underpinning successful learning and although only one factor (4) explicitly refers to feedback, all are interrelated. Factors 5 and 7, in particular, can be related to effective feedback practices.

1. Wanting to learn – Motivation, curiosity and the desire to learn;
2. Needing to learn – having good reason to learn, taking ownership of targets deemed to show successful learning;
3. Learning by doing – practice, repetition, experimenting, trial and error;
4. Learning through feedback – both formative and summative feedback from peers and academics;
5. Making sense of learning – “getting my head around it” with regard to concepts, theories and models;
6. Learning by explaining – deepening learning by communicating what has been learned;
7. Learning by making judgements – further deepening learning by applying criteria to their own work (self assessment) or to others (peer assessment).

Sambell (2011, p. 7) writes of the holistic nature of assessment and feedback that ‘once it is accepted that learning is an active, dynamic process, in which students learn by actively making connections and organising learning into meaningful concepts and understanding (Barkley 2009) then it follows that approaches to assessment and feedback need to change in line with this'. 

For an example of a holistic approach to feedback and assessment at School-level in NTU please see the review carried out by the School of Architecture, Design and Built Environment, as well as the handbook and leaflet produced for students following the review.

• ADBE Feedback and Assessment Review
• ADBE Feedback handbook
• ADBE Feedback leaflet

The National Union of Students' (2010, p. 1) Charter on Feedback and Assessment  discusses holistic assessment and feedback in terms of the role of formative assessment and feedback, stating that it 'is critical to the development of learning and should be integrated into the curriculum in a strategic way'. One way in which formative feedback can be strategically built into the curriculum is to have multi-stage assignments which incorporate feedback at various stages and encourage dialogic feedback practice (Carless et al., 2011). Multi-stage assessments offer an additional benefit, as identified by Gibbs (2006, cited in Carless et al., 2011) which is that such practices encourage students to study more steadily throughout the year rather than cram for exams or assignments at the end of modules.

Case Studies
This section includes links to various case studies which exemplify the use of intrinsic feedback:

• Cohort Feedback. Physical Geography in the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences is a programme which adopts an intrinsic approach in its use of mixed cohort feedback methods. The aim is to encourage greater student engagement with feedback.
• Peer feedback.  English in the School of Arts and Humanities adopt an intrinsic approach in their use of poster presentations as a formative peer feedback exercise.
• Online peer feedback. Spanish in the School of Arts and Humanities practice peer feedback and feed-forward using TELT methods such as online discussion boards.
• Learning Journals. English in the School of Arts and Humanities use student learning journals to guide students through required reading and encourage them to reflect on feedback.
• Peer feedback. Graphic Design in the School of Art and Design has created a culture of intrinsic peer feedback within a tutorial system.  

If you would like to submit a case study on intrinsic feedback please contact Helen Puntha

References
CARLESS, D., SALTER, D., YANG, M. and LAM, J., 2011. Developing sustainable feedback practices, Studies in Higher Education, 36(4), 395-407.

LAURILLARD, D.M., 1993. Rethinking University Teaching: A Framework for the Effective Use of Educational Technology. London: Routledge.

NATIONAL UNION OF STUDENTS, 2010. Charter on Feedback and Assessment. Available at:
[Accessed 15 May 2011]

RACE, P., 2011. Learning for the future. In: COIFFAIT, L. Blue skies: new thinking about the future of higher education, Pearson Centre for Policy and Learning. [Accessed 15 May 2011]

SAMBELL, K., 2011. Rethinking feedback in higher education: as assessment for learning perspective.  Bristol: ESCalate HEA Subject Centre for Education. [Accessed 10 November 2011]