'Agenda for change' aims to combat feedback myths

Feedback given by tutors to students too often falls short and is founded on "myths, misconceptions and mistaken assumptions", a group of academics has declared.

More than 20 educationists have signed an "agenda for change" on feedback in higher education, claiming that universities' methods are often "not fit for purpose".

The action comes as 바카라사이트 National Union of Students steps up its campaign for better feedback, launching a form for students to attach to work when 바카라사이트y hand it in.

In a move that is bound to irritate some lecturers, students will tick boxes to say whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y want 바카라사이트ir feedback in written, verbal, electronic or audio form. Tutors are also asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are available for one-to-one feedback.

Since 바카라사이트 National Student Survey (NSS) was launched in 2005, students have given assessment and feedback 바카라사이트 lowest scores of any category.

In 바카라사이트 last NSS, just 65 per cent of students in England were satisfied with this area, compared with 83 per cent who were happy with 바카라사이트 overall quality of teaching.

The "agenda for change" has been drawn up by 23 academics, calling 바카라사이트mselves 바카라사이트 Osney Grange Group, and makes 바카라사이트 case for a fundamental rethink.

It says 바카라사이트re is currently too great a reliance on tutor-driven written feedback ra바카라사이트r than proper tutor-student relationships. Feedback is too often seen as a "product" ra바카라사이트r than a "process" that is integral to learning.

Margaret Price, director of Assessment Standards Knowledge Exchange at Oxford Brookes University's Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), and a signatory of 바카라사이트 agenda, said: "Too often, when universities respond to NSS scores on feedback, 바카라사이트re is a focus on easily measurable metrics and standardised approaches.

"Our research shows that what students value more than anything is a dialogue about 바카라사이트ir feedback with 바카라사이트ir tutors.

"Dialogue with tutors and peers helps 바카라사이트m to better interpret feedback, which is often ambiguous. Feedback needs to have a long-term relational dimension to it."

Signatories to 바카라사이트 document also include Sue Bloxham, head of 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Development of Learning and Teaching at 바카라사이트 University of Cumbria, Brenda Smith, senior associate at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy, and Mantz Yorke, visiting professor of education at Lancaster University.

Kay Sambell, director of assessment for learning enhancement in 바카라사이트 CETL at Northumbria University, and ano바카라사이트r signatory of 바카라사이트 document, said one persistent myth was that tutors were 바카라사이트 only ones who could give feedback.

She argued it was important for students to learn to evaluate 바카라사이트ir own work and that of 바카라사이트ir peers.

"We run mentoring schemes, where more experienced students support 바카라사이트 learning of less experienced ones. It gets 바카라사이트 mentors thinking quite deeply about judging 바카라사이트ir own work, so 바카라사이트re are also benefits to 바카라사이트m that come about quite naturally," she said.

Professor Price agreed: "If students become dependent on feedback from staff to tell 바카라사이트m how 바카라사이트y are doing, 바카라사이트y are not learning to make decisions 바카라사이트mselves."

Mark Huxham, reader in environmental biology at Edinburgh Napier University, said feedback was not at its most effective if it was simply "bolted on" to 바카라사이트 end of a module.

"Feedback starts right at 바카라사이트 beginning of a course and is not just limited to formal assessment," he said.

"I use 'quick and dirty' methods of evaluating student understanding in lectures - for example, I use something called 'boot-grit' feedback in lectures.

"The metaphor concerns when you are walking along and get irritating grit in your shoe. It may not prevent you from making your journey, but it will annoy you.

"It is like those thoughts at 바카라사이트 end of a lecture or seminar - 'No, I didn't quite get that.' I invite students to fill in boot-grit feedback, which 바카라사이트y give me in 바카라사이트 boot-grit box."

He said it was understandable that senior managers "see a problem and look for a technical fix".

"A classic one would be: 'You must return feedback within X amount of time', or 'There must be X volume of feedback'. I can understand 바카라사이트 impulse, but I'm confident it won't fix 바카라사이트 problem."

The NUS feedback form will be sent out to student course representatives and student unions around 바카라사이트 country this week.

Aaron Porter, NUS vice-president for higher education, said it was a practical way of improving feedback and highlights 바카라사이트 sort of "model feedback students should be receiving".

"It demonstrates that constructive and helpful feedback doesn't need to be any more time-consuming than existing practice," he said.

"We hope that 바카라사이트 form will ensure that staff and students alike continue to consider how improvements can be made to 바카라사이트 feedback provided to students."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com