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Alex Bols, Assistant Director (Research) & Head of Higher Education, NUS
Assessment feedback: changing student attitudes
QAA Quality Code – T&L
Using appropriate evidence, higher education providers create, and
systematically address opportunities to improve, an environment that
encourages high-quality learning for all students.
DRAFT TEXT
"All I get is a grade next to my matriculation number
without any indication on how I'm actually doing"
“I got an essay back where the only comment was 'use
a bigger text size’, there was nothing on how to improve
my grade"
“For a rather lengthy scientific report, the feedback I received
consisted of a mere 2 ticks and a question mark”
5
6
3
6
9
4
10
14
7
26
13
8
23
30
24
20
20
35
9
8
19
… motivates me tostudy
… makes it clearhow to improve my
performance onfuture courseworkassignments/ tasks
… makes it clearhow well I haveperformed on the
courseworkassignment/ task
%1 - Totally disagree 2 3 4 - Neither agree nor disagree 5 6 7 - Totally agree
Chart 3: Just over half (52% ) of students said their feedback motivates them to study
Q35. To what extent do you agree with the following statements about feedback you receive? The feedback I receive ……
78%
58%
52%
Base: All receiving feedback (3120)
86.1%77.9%
39.3% 42.3%32.8%
17.6% 18.7% 21.2%
56.3% 54.8%
16.9% 14.1%
1.1%
74.9%79.3%
46.6%
66.1%
35.6%
19.7%
37.6%46.6%
53.2%47.4%
32.5%
13.0%
0.6%0.0%
10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%
100.0%
Written grades / marks
Written comments
Online comments
Verbal feedback
provided in an individual
meeting with the
tutor/lecturer who set the
work
Verbal feedback
provided in a group meeting
with the tutor/lecturer
who set the work
Oral assessment
Performance review
In-person feedback
Coursework feedback
Exam marking Dialogue with an academic
Laboratory assessment
Other
Ways of receiveing feedback n=4981
How do you receive feedback? Which would be the most useful way to receive feedback?
Institution Less than a week One to two weeks Three to four weeks Five to six weeks Seven weeks or more1994 Group 8.5% 41.2% 35.9% 10.9% 3.5%Guild HE 3.0% 22.2% 54.0% 16.7% 4.0%Million + Group 7.7% 30.3% 46.7% 12.1% 3.3%Non aligned 8.0% 33.7% 39.6% 15.5% 3.2%Russell Group 12.1% 38.5% 38.0% 7.5% 3.9%University Alliance Group 9.6% 42.0% 32.6% 8.0% 7.8%
How long, on average, does it take for you to receive feedback on your coursework/exam results?
10.5%
18.2%
14.4%
20.2%
7.6%
2.4%
21.6%
5.1%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
More than once a week
Once a week Once a fortnight Once a month Once every 6 months Once a year Never Other
How often, if at all, do you have the opportunity for feedback on your work which does not formally contribute to your overall degree grade?
n=4760
83.0%
39.3%
20.1%15.1%
10.5%6.9%
71.8% 71.2%
35.8%
50.5%
21.3%
4.2%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
Written grades / marks Written comments Online comments Verbal feedback provided in an individual meeting with the
tutor/lecturer who set the work
Verbal feedback provided in a group meeting with the
tutor/lecturer who set the work
Other
Feedback on exams whilst at university n=4535
Which, if any, of the following ways do you receive feedback on your exams whilst at university? (tick all that apply)
Which, if any, of the following ways would be the most useful way for you to receive feedback on your exams? (tick all that apply)
T – Timely
A – Accessible
L- Legible
K - Konstructive
Why this issue may be a concern for students that identify as consumers
Area of student concern Why this issue may be a concern for students that identify as co-producers
I have paid for a service and I therefore expect it to be delivered on time
Timeliness of the feedback
Feedback that is returned after four or more weeks after the assessment will be so far from the event that it won’t be useful as part of learning process
I expect the feedback to delivered in the method most appropriate to my needs – rather than the needs of the academic
Method by which they receive feedback
Whilst I would like written feedback the most useful way for me to understand areas of improvement is through face-to-face discussions
I am paying the expert to give their thoughts on my work and so I expect lots of detail
Detailed feedback I am less concerned by detailed written comments and more about having a dialogue on specific aspects for improvement
I want good feedback to help me identify how I can pass my exam
Usefulness of feedback for their learning
I want good quality feedback to highlight areas where I can improve and deepen my learning
NUS Principles: Feedback…1. Should be for learning,
not just of learning2. Should be a continuous
process3. Should be timely 4. Should relate to clear
criteria5. Should be constructive6. Should be legible and
clear7. Should be provided on
exams8. Should include self-
assessment and peer-to-peer feedback
9. Should be accessible to all students
10.Should be flexible and suited to students’ needs
Assessment…1. Should be for learning, not simply of
learning 2. Should be reliable, valid, fair and
consistent 3. Should consist of effective and
constructive feedback 4. Should be innovative and have the
capacity to inspire and motivate such as with the use of technology
5. Should measure understanding and application, rather than technique and memory
6. Should be conducted throughout the course, not simply positioned as a finale event
7. Should develop key skills such as peer and reflective assessment
8. Should be central to staff development and teaching strategies, and frequently reviewed
9. Should be of a manageable amount for both students and tutors
10.Should encourage dialogue between students and their tutors, and students and their peers
6Proportions of students at the university
satisfied or very satisfied with their feedback on assessment
41.7%
11Proportion of the assessment that is by
coursework35.2%
Key Information Set
13 13 14
31
14
10
52 2
7
28
17
21 20
1 - Not atall involved
2 3 4 -Somewhatinvloved
5 6 7 - Veryinvloved
How involved do you believe you are in shaping the content of your course?
How involved do you want to be?
Chart 2: There is still a disconnect between how involved students feel they are in shaping their course and how involved they want to be
Q26. How involved do you believe you are in shaping the content, curriculum or design of your course?
Q27. How involved do you want to be in shaping the content, curriculum or design of your course?
Base: All answering Section 4 (3179)
65% of students believe that if they are expected to pay more for their university
experience they would have higher expectations
NUS/HSBC Student Experience Report (2010)
“this market totalitarianism will utterly and irreversibly transform the relationship between institutions and students…If students are to pay hugely increased
fees, then they must have increased rights and increased power.”
Aaron Porter, NUS President, Nov 2010
Table 1: Percentage of students that rated themselves against the dichotomy of students considering themselves in a community of
learning or as consumers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I am a student engaged in a community of learning
- all students
11 10 16 11 18 8 8 7 4 7 I am a customer and expect the service I have paid for
Table 2: Subject based dichotomy of students considering themselves in a community of learning or as consumers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Medicine and dentistry students
I am a student engaged in a community of learning
22 14 18 9 10 11 2 7 3 5 I am a customer and expect the service I have paid for
Business and administration students
I am a student engaged in a community of learning
6 7 9 10 24 13 8 6 5 12 I am a customer and expect the service I have paid for
Historical and philosophical studies
I am a student engaged in a community of learning
13 11 12 20 16 5 12 5 2 3 I am a customer and expect the service I have paid for
Why this issue may be a concern for students that identify as consumers
Area of student concern Why this issue may be a concern for students that identify as co-producers
I have paid for a service and I therefore expect it to be delivered on time
Timeliness of the feedback
Feedback that is returned after four or more weeks after the assessment will be so far from the event that it won’t be useful as part of learning process
I expect the feedback to delivered in the method most appropriate to my needs – rather than the needs of the academic
Method by which they receive feedback
Whilst I would like written feedback the most useful way for me to understand areas of improvement is through face-to-face discussions
I am paying the expert to give their thoughts on my work and so I expect lots of detail
Detailed feedback I am less concerned by detailed written comments and more about having a dialogue on specific aspects for improvement
I want good feedback to help me identify how I can pass my exam
Usefulness of feedback for their learning
I want good quality feedback to highlight areas where I can improve and deepen my learning
