Assessing learning and exchanging feedback
Teaching on degree programmes both practical and theory, across three universities with a cohort ranging from of 45-75 I have experience with both formative and summative assessment processes. Using a recent experience of a first-year student receiving a grade fail, how do we boost student motivation and confidence after a failing grade?
Failing a student halfway through their first year was not an easy decision. Although the student did not meet some of the learning outcomes and the requirements of the brief, their work showcased both potential and a strong willingness to learn. In current assessment frameworks, offering additional feedback or clarifications can be challenging, especially with large cohorts, even with two lecturers. According to Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2001), students often prioritise grades over feedback comments. How can we encourage students to prioritise the learning process and improvement and motivative them to engage more actively in their learning especially after receiving a failing grade at the first hurdle?
Although Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2001) suggest ‘teachers can have a positive or negative effect on motivation and self-esteem’. They do however provide valuable insights and strategies to encourage positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem by emphasising the importance of feedback in supporting self-regulated learning.
For students, receiving a failing grade can foster low self-esteem, a belief that there is a limit to what they can achieve and be reluctant to use the feedback to help them improve. (Nicol and Macfarlane‐Dick, 2021). This will affect their motivation to improve. Factoring in time to clarify feedback is an important step towards not only ‘rebuilding’ their self-esteem but enabling them to self-regulate and to believe that they can improve and achieve the learning outcomes.
I’d like to implement Principle 5 involving peer feedback review sessions whereby students would read their assignment feedback comments and discuss them with each other in small groups. Students can share their understanding of the feedback and suggest approaches for improving their work in the future. This approach fosters reflection, encourages dialogue, and facilitates peer learning to improve understanding of feedback and identify areas for improvement. Conversely, students may be a reluctant to engage in dialogue with their peers if they are shy or uncomfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions with others. They may also feel that they don’t have enough knowledge or expertise to provide meaningful feedback. In some cases, students may simply not see the value in providing feedback or engaging in dialogue with their peers, the NRDC’s Research briefing: Formative assessment (2008) provides some strategies in ‘encouraging learner talk’. They also acknowledge the time it takes in providing supportive formative assessment and increasing the range of assessment approaches considering that any assessment format or process could disadvantage some students. (Race, 2001).
On writing this I have learnt so much about the ways in which assessment feedback impact student’s learning experience and provide information to lecturers that can help shape teaching.
In the near future I would like to develop a role-playing activity creating a scenario where students take on the roles of lecturers and students. The students can act out different feedback scenarios, demonstrating how to provide effective feedback and engage in dialogue around learning. This activity can help students understand the importance of feedback and self-regulation and for lecturers to create a more inclusive and engaging learning environment.
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References
Nicol, D.J. and Macfarlane‐Dick, D. (2021) ‘Formative Assessment and Self‐regulated learning: a Model and Seven Principles of Good Feedback Practice’, Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), pp. 199–218.
Race, P. (2001) ‘A Briefing on Self, Peer and Group Assessment’, in The lecturer’s toolkit : a practical guide to learning, teaching & assessment. London: Kogan Page; Sterling, Va.
Research briefing: Formative assessment – NRDC (2008) www.nrdc.org.uk. Available at:
http://www.nrdc.org.uk/?p=367 (Accessed: 8 March 2024).
Additional reading
Davies, A. (2003) ‘Writing Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria in Art and Design’.