University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
Rethinking feedback:
what's it for, and how
can it make a
difference?
DAI HOUNSELL
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
www.tla.ed.ac.uk/feedback.htm
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
The
Trouble
with
Feedback
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
Feedback
Fundamental
s
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FUNDAMENTALS OF FEEDBACK
What forms does feedback take?
pro forma
exemplars
written comments
guidance
traditional
exams
collaboration
feedforward
on-display learning
peer
audio
past questions
clickers
editing
in-class assignments
anticipatory feedback
revision
e-feedback
criteria
screencast
whole-class
cumulative
elective
self
redrafting
dialogue
RETHINKING FEEDBACK:
co-
reviewing progress
supervision
WHAT'S
IT FOR, AND HOW CANinteraction
IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FUNDAMENTALS OF FEEDBACK
Why Does Feedback Speak in So Many Voices?
• what's effective or feasible feedback can vary
in relation to
– the level of study / stage of students' progression in the
subject at university level
– the task or activity they are engaged in
– the wider course setting / teaching-learning environment (and
its feedback 'affordances' and constraints)
– the purpose(s) of the feedback
• 'signature' feedback practices (c.f. Shulman)
• an expanding palette of possibilities
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FUNDAMENTALS OF FEEDBACK
So what is 'feedback', exactly ...
... and why does it matter?
• Feedback comprises information, processes, activities or
experiences which aim to encapsulate, enable or boost
students' learning
i.e.
– feedback doesn't just come from comments
by lecturers/tutors
– [good] feedback is performance-enhancing
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FUNDAMENTALS OF FEEDBACK
So what is 'feedback', exactly ...
... and why does it matter?
• Feedback comprises information, processes, activities or
experiences which aim to encapsulate, enable or boost
students' learning
• Feedback can focus on:
attainment
given
what a student knows, understands or can do at a
point in time
progress
where a student currently stands in relation to a
specified goal, target or level
achievement
what a student has achieved as demonstrated in a
completed assignment or task
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FUNDAMENTALS OF FEEDBACK
What is 'feedback' and why does it matter?
• Why feedback matters
– learning without feedback is 'blind archery'
– feedback is indispensable to effective teaching and
assessment, optimising the conditions under which each
student can achieve their best
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FUNDAMENTALS OF FEEDBACK
Who gives feedback, where and when ?
• Sources of feedback
– Lecturers, tutors, demonstrators, supervisors, mentors
– Fellow-students / peers, a student’s own reflections
– The audience for a seminar or poster presentation, professional
practitioners
• Feedback where and when?
formally
informally
in timetabled classes / online
outwith timetabled classes / offline
intrinsic
extrinsic
prior to a task or
activity
during a task or activity
after a task or activity
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FUNDAMENTALS OF FEEDBACK
FEEDBACK'S MANY PURPOSES
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
Feedback
That Makes
More of a
Difference
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
 Better opportunities to use feedback
 Enhancing students' grasp of feedback and
standards
 Boosting the availability and richness of
feedback
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
Better opportunities to use feedback
Why is
feedback often
uncollected ?
Why might
some feedback
always come
too late ?
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
Better opportunities to use feedback
Why is there
such a big
difference
between how
we give
feedback to
our
undergraduate
and our
doctoral
students ?
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
Better opportunities to use feedback
Why is there
such a big
difference
between how
we give
feedback to our
undergraduate
and our
doctoral
students ?
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
Better opportunities to use feedback
From feedback to
feedforward
– 'feedback-first' and
draft/revise/resubmit
assignments
– cumulative assignments
– wikis
(Beaumont et al 2008)
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
Boosting the availability & richness of feedback
• Generic and whole-class
feedback
• On-display learning
• Collaborative tasks &
activities
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
OBSERVATION AS A PROXY FOR FEEDBACK
f. Learning from
Others'
Presentations
a. Prior
Experiences of
Presenting
c. Giving the
Talk
d. Questions and
Discussion
b. Tutors'
Guidance on
Presenting
g. Developing a
Personal Style
e. Feedback
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
Enhancing students' grasp of feedback & standards
"The many diverse expressions of dissatisfaction with
written feedback can be interpreted as symptoms of
impoverished and fractured dialogue. Mass higher
education is squeezing out dialogue with the result that
written feedback, which is essentially a monologue, is
now having to carry much of the burden of teacherstudent interaction."
(Nicol, 2010)
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
ESSAY WRITING AND FEEDBACK (1987)
"Tutors fail to acknowledge 'the subtle interplay between
what is said and what is taken for granted' (Rommetveit,
1979, p. 96) and so do not seek to close the gap
between their own and their students' understanding of
expectations."
(Hounsell, 1987, p. 114)
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
Enhancing students' grasp of feedback & standards
• Elective feedback
• Exemplars
• Peer and self-generated
feedback
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK, CONNOISSEURSHIP
& DIALOGUE
"[Students] need to learn to discover what quality looks and
feels like, and the aspects – whether large or small – that
detract from it. They need to develop a vocabulary for
expressing and communicating what they find. Furthermore,
they should gradually attune their growing realisations and
discourse to the norms of the discipline, field or profession"
(Sadler, 2010)
The process of engagement needs staff and students to share and
develop a greater understanding of the complexity of feedback
processes, and of what can be expected from all parties in this
process."
(Price, Handley & Millar, in press)
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011
FEEDBACK THAT MAKES MORE OF A DIFFERENCE
 Better opportunities to use feedback
 Enhancing students' grasp of feedback and
standards
 Boosting the availability and richness of
feedback
RETHINKING FEEDBACK: WHAT'S IT FOR, AND HOW CAN IT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
Dai Hounsell, University of Nottingham, 22 September 2011