Challenges
Students often find assessment feedback unsatisfactory, for a wide range of
reasons, including the following:
When feedback is cryptic (for example, "More", "What's this?", "Link?", or
simply ticks and crosses), students can sometimes be unable to gauge
whether a response is positive or negative, whether and how the feedback is
related to their mark, and what they might do to improve.
When feedback consists mainly of grammar and spelling corrections, and
provides little or no advice for them to act on, students cannot tell what they
have done well, what they need to change and why they have achieved the
grade they have.
Many assessment tasks are one-offs, intended for students to demonstrate
their achievement for a summative grade; students cannot respond to the
feedback with a further submission. Such tasks do not encourage risk-taking,
experimentation, creativity or practice.
Feedback that does not acknowledge the way students' learning has
progressed over time does not help them get a sense of how far they have
come and what they have yet to achieve.
Students can encounter different (and inconsistent) comments from different
lecturers on similar pieces of writing.
Be explicit about the details of feedback processes and expectations. Ensure that
students understand why they are getting feedback and how their learning can
benefit from their reflecting, and acting, on feedback.
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