Providing feedback

Feedback is an important part of the learning and teaching relationship between academic staff and students.

The way staff deliver feedback helps to promote students’ learning and encourages them to perform well in their studies. Improving the feedback given to students can therefore be a positive focus for improving academic performance, as well as enhancing students’ overall experience of university.

This topic provides information on three key areas of providing feedback:

Feedback practices

These vary by discipline and within disciplines, yet there are a wide range of different formats and types of feedback that can be used to deliver effective feedback to students.

Formats include written, audio or video feedback, feedback provided in lectures, seminars and tutorials including that given under guidance by other students, and feedback on formative and summative assessments.

Assessment literacy

This refers to the ability of students to interpret assignments and assessment criteria appropriately, and make full use of feedback provided on their work.

The concept of literacy encourages a focus on what makes assessment and feedback meaningful. This usually means developing a shared understanding between staff and students of assessment and feedback practices.

Good feedback practice

Good feedback helps students to improve their learning and understanding. It focuses efforts by identifying shortcomings and advising on ways to address them. It should also seek to point out strengths.

Good feedback is timely, delivered in a constructive style, and is usually supplemented with opportunities for clarification.