Feedback is an essential part of the learning process, as it provides students with information about their progress and how to develop this further. Feedback goes beyond the grade in terms of detail and usefulness. Where the grade can only indicate the overall state of work that has been submitted for summative assessment, the feedback can detail areas of strength and development. Feedback can, and should, be offered prior to submitting a summative assignment, but that feedback can take many forms and come from sources other than the assessor.
In short, a grade can only roughly indicate where they are in their learning journey, but the feedback can tell them why, and how to move forward in your learning.
Why is Feedback Important?
Feedback enables learners to understand how their level of achievement during a module and to take steps for further development. It also helps them to identify potential problems or omissions. Let’s imagine that they were working on their first university essay and that the module tutor had given them the option to receive some feedback on an early draft or plan. Attending that feedback meeting would give them the opportunity to discuss any issues that had arisen from the work they had done so far and to clarify any points that they weren’t sure about (e.g. interpreting the question or the module learning outcomes, for example). The result is likely to be a better final piece of work, in which the student has had the chance to develop their initial ideas via guidance from a subject specialist along the way.
The efficacy of feedback depends, of course, on the quality and transparency of the explanation being given. Too complex and the student may not comprehend what they are being asked to do. Too simple and there may not be enough detail for the student to know exactly what they are being asked to change or develop. If you are new to giving feedback, asking a colleague to review your feedback can be useful here, as they will be able to point out omissions or complexities that you may not notice in your own writing or speech (depending on the type of feedback you are giving). It can be a great idea, time allowing, to follow up written feedback with a conversation to help ensure understanding – always be sure to ask the student whether they have grasped your meaning, as this will give them the opportunity to ask for further clarification.
When you begin to give feedback as part of a module, it may help you to reflect on times when you have received particularly useful feedback yourself. What was it about the feedback that was so great? How did it help you to understand your progress, and to work out what you could change or improve next time? Equally, you may wish to reflect on less useful feedback that you have received in the past. In what ways was it unhelpful? What was missing from the information you were given, and what would you have done to improve it if you had been the educator? Reflecting on your own experiences can enable you to understand what students are looking for when they receive feedback, helping you to emulate good practice and to avoid common pitfalls such as giving vague, brief or untimely feedback.