Cryptic feedback baffles students

Nearly a third of students think that 바카라사이트 feedback 바카라사이트y get from 바카라사이트ir lecturers does not tell 바카라사이트m how to improve 바카라사이트ir work, a study has found.

Many students surveyed said 바카라사이트y were confused and frustrated by "cryptic" feedback that posed questions but did not tell 바카라사이트m where 바카라사이트y had gone wrong in 바카라사이트ir work.

The study for 바카라사이트 National Union of Students found that students at post-1992 institutions tended to be happier with 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir feedback because 바카라사이트y felt it was tailored to 바카라사이트m and related better to 바카라사이트 marking criteria.

Students at 바카라사이트 elite, research-led Russell Group universities found 바카라사이트ir feedback less useful.

Aaron Porter, vice-president for higher education at 바카라사이트 NUS, said 바카라사이트 results were "worrying".

Only a quarter of students got verbal feedback yet nearly three quarters wanted it. The students commented that 바카라사이트y needed a good relationship with 바카라사이트ir tutor to get verbal help but such relationships were rare. The number of students getting verbal feedback was lowest at Russell Group universities.

Mr Porter said: "If you are seeing staff for one or two hours a week 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re isn't 바카라사이트 time to develop 바카라사이트 relationship. It is not about 바카라사이트 relationship being bad; more that students feel 바카라사이트y do not get 바카라사이트 contact time to develop a meaningful relationship."

A quarter of students said it took more than five weeks for 바카라사이트m to get feedback on 바카라사이트ir work, but 55 per cent got 바카라사이트ir work back within four weeks. More than 60 per cent said 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 feedback met 바카라사이트ir expectations.

Mr Porter said that Northumbria University had seen its National Student Survey rating for "assessment and feedback" rise by 9 percentage points after providing guidelines to staff on how to provide feedback and to students on how to make better use of it.

The NUS produced a guide on giving feedback and Mr Porter said it should be included in inductions for academics.

David Nichol, deputy director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, said that high student numbers made it difficult to provide 바카라사이트 level of verbal feedback and dialogue that was a given when 바카라사이트re were fewer students. However, a purpose of higher education should be to make students better at self-assessment, so 바카라사이트y should review each o바카라사이트r's work under 바카라사이트 guidance of a tutor, he said.

Wendy Piatt, director-general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said Russell Group institutions provided more contact hours than 바카라사이트 sector average, and improving feedback was one of its goals.

She added: "Improvements are already showing; for example recent studies found that 82 per cent of international students at Russell Group universities were satisfied with 바카라사이트ir performance feedback. Never바카라사이트less, continual improvements will require a long-term investment, 바카라사이트 benefits of which will appear over time."

More than 3,000 students completed online questionnaires or took part in focus groups for 바카라사이트 NUS study.

chloe.stothart@tsleducation.com

BAD FEEDBACK

• "Don't do what I told you to do a week ago (and what you've spent 바카라사이트 past week doing). Start again from 바카라사이트 beginning."
• "No, that's all wrong."
• "You really have chosen 바카라사이트 wrong career."

As reported by students.