Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education

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Effectiveness of feedback: the students’

perspective

Ann Poulos & Mary Jane Mahony

To cite this article: Ann Poulos & Mary Jane Mahony (2008) Effectiveness of feedback: the
students’ perspective, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33:2, 143-154, DOI:
10.1080/02602930601127869

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Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education
Vol. 33, No. 2, April 2008, 143–154

Effectiveness of feedback: the students’ perspective

Ann Poulos* and Mary Jane Mahony

University of Sydney, Australia

Taylor and Francis Ltd
CAEH_A_212718.sgm

While effective feedback has frequently been identified as a key strategy in learning and
Assessment
10.1080/02602930601127869
0260-2938
Original
Taylor
02007
00
Dr
[email protected]
000002007
AnnPoulos
&Article
Francis
(print)/1469-297X
& Evaluation in Higher
(online)
Education

teaching, little known research has focused on students’ perceptions of feedback and the
contribution feedback makes to students’ learning and teaching. This reported qualitative
study aims to enrich our understanding of these perceptions and importantly to provide
insight into the meaning of ‘effective’ when related to feedback. The study involved four
focus groups of undergraduate students of varying levels and from a range of Schools
completing degrees in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney. Students’
perceptions relating to a definition of feedback, how they use it and preferences for delivery
were prompted by the facilitators. Thematic analysis resulted in three key dimensions:
perceptions of feedback, impact of feedback and credibility of feedback. The analysis
demonstrated that effectiveness of feedback extends beyond mode of delivery and timeliness
to include the credibility of the lecturer giving the feedback. The role of effective feedback
includes not only enhancing learning and teaching but also facilitating the transition between
school and university.

Introduction
Effective feedback to students has been identified as a key strategy in learning and teaching
(Ramsden 1992, 1998). A useful definition of feedback which has been used by a number of
researchers relates to information presented that allows comparison between an actual
outcome and a desired outcome (Ramaprasad 1983; Mory 2004). The use of the word ‘effec-
tive’ in the context of feedback has been associated with feedback that is both appropriate
and timely (Ramsden 2003; Mory 2004) and suited to the needs of the situation (Knight &
Yorke 2003). The meaning applied to ‘appropriate’ varies, including sufficient (Holmes &
Smith 2003), gender-specific (Nemeth 1999), face-to-face (Hebert & Vorauer 2002), and
instructor delivered (Riccomini 2002). General feedback that relates to the learning inten-
tions of the course benefits the cohesion of student learning. A focus on specifics in the
provision of feedback may take the attention away from improvement strategies (Knight &
Yorke 2003).
Much research has focused on the purpose served by feedback and the likelihood that feed-
back has various functions according to the particular learning environment in which it is exam-
ined. Knight and Yorke, for example, indicate that there must be equity in feedback, that is,
different feedback for different-level students. They suggest that in theory each student should
receive feedback that is most appropriate to his/her learning but that teachers’ biases may
preclude this (Knight & Yorke 2003). It is suggested that the primary role of feedback is as

*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

ISSN 0260-2938 print/ISSN 1469-297X online

© 2008 Taylor & Francis
DOI: 10.1080/02602930601127869
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144 A. Poulos and M.J. Mahony

communication, which provides a critical function in knowledge acquisition (Mory 2004).

Feedback must therefore be seen as an opportunity for learning and for encouraging an orientation
towards learning goals; feedback must indicate how the student can develop in respect of future
work (Knight & Yorke 2003).
Most of the research on feedback to students, however, has focused on the input side of the
equation, what is provided to students, how it is provided and when. How the student interprets
and deals with feedback is critical to the success of formative assessment and involves both
psychological state and disposition. The less students believe in themselves the more explicit and
frequent feedback they require (Knight & Yorke 2003). This is emphasized in a survey of non-
completion students, which identified the quality of learning experience as an important factor in
their decision to withdraw at the end of first year, thus emphasizing the importance of construc-
tive feedback at this critical time (Yorke 2002).
Few studies have been identified in which the research focus is specifically on students’ views
of feedback. A study by Carless (2006) involved both students and staff from a Hong Kong
university and reported a substantial difference in the perceptions of tutors and their students on
feedback on assessed work. Ormond et al. (2005) focused on the utilization of tutors’ feedback
and found that utilization related directly to the learning experience. For example, feedback was
used to enhance motivation and learning, encourage reflection and clarify understanding.
O’Donovan et al. (2001) investigated students’ views of criterion-referenced assessment, finding
that in a context of a course-level set of criteria their students desired more reliable marking
processes and clearer guidelines on assessment requirements and criteria. O’Donovan et al.
(2004) speak directly to the development of students’ understanding by proposing a continuum
from explicit to tacit communication with students drawn from their research. In an extensive
review of feedback research, Mory states that further research should focus on a number of areas,
one of which is to identify measurable variables that can reflect internal cognitive and affective
processes of learners, which might potentially affect how feedback is perceived and utilized
(Mory 2004).
Overall, research on students’ perceptions of feedback remains thin. The research study
reported here contributes to building a richer picture of students’ views of the feedback given to
them on their work. The impetus for this study was provided by contradictory responses to ques-
tions about feedback in the Student Course Evaluation Questionnaire, a survey focusing on
students’ perceptions of learning and teaching within their course. The study set out to gain a
deeper understanding of the meaning and significance of feedback for students and the interpre-
tation of ‘effective’ from the students’ perspective. A qualitative approach was chosen to enable
students to speak for themselves on their perceptions of the feedback they receive during their
university studies.

Method
This study was carried out in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney, a
very large faculty (5000 students) with numerous allied health courses. To gain an in-depth
understanding of student perceptions of feedback a qualitative methodology was used. Four
focus groups were convened. The focus groups involved student volunteers from a range of
Schools within the Faculty. Students’ ages and stage in their degree courses varied among the
groups. Ethics approval was granted from the University of Sydney Human Ethics Commit-
tee. No direct contact was made between the researchers and the students nor was any partici-
pant identified. The focus groups were audio-taped and subsequently transcribed. The
facilitator of the focus groups used prompt questions relating to the meaning and role of
feedback.
 Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 145

Results
Thematic analysis was applied to the data. Three key dimensions emerged from the data, relating
to effectiveness of feedback. They were: perceptions of feedback, impact of feedback and
credibility of feedback. The themes and sub-themes within these key dimensions are presented
below.

Key dimension 1: perceptions of feedback

The students’ perceptions of feedback related to individual meaning attributed to feedback, acces-
sibility of lecturers to provide feedback, types of feedback, feedback related to criteria and marks
and comments. The range of themes within this dimension demonstrates the differing perceptions
that may be held by students in regard to what feedback is (how they recognize something as feed-
back, e.g. most recognizable if it is written for them individually). Feedback is clearly a complex
multi-dimensional rather than a simple, straightforward phenomenon.

Key dimension 2: impact of feedback

The impact of feedback was related to timeliness, significance and first-year experience. Timeli-
ness related to the need for feedback as early as possible and students indicated the problems of
late feedback. Students could also state what made feedback significant to them.
A number of students expressed particular issues with the first year of university study and
the role played by feedback. These particular issues related to the need for more communication
in the first year because of the differences between university and school, the role of feedback as
a method of adjustment, feedback relating to understanding expectations, difficulties with
approaching lecturers and the devastating effects of negative feedback and failing in year 1.

Key dimension 3: credibility of feedback

The usefulness of feedback provided and hence its credibility was related to the students’ percep-
tions of the lecturers themselves. The lecturers’ ability generally and also their biases influenced
the credibility of the feedback they provided.

Discussion
This study identified a number of factors impacting on student perceptions of the interpretation
of ‘effectiveness’ of feedback. Effectiveness of feedback related to three key dimensions: percep-
tions of feedback, impact of feedback and credibility of feedback.
Perceptions of feedback related meaning as assigned by students, how feedback was delivered
and how feedback related to criteria, marks and grades. Their perceptions of preferences for type
of feedback are expected and well documented in the literature (Ramsden 1992, 1998). Students
preferred specific rather than general feedback. This conflicted with the evidence from Knight
and Yorke, which indicated the superior power of general feedback (Knight & Yorke 2003).
However, in our study ‘general’ feedback was assumed to be feedback provided for the whole
class which did not necessarily relate to them as individuals. The term ‘general’ used by Knight
and Yorke relates to feedback that can be used for future assessments and so is likely to be more
structural in nature (Knight & Yorke 2003).
The wide range of student comment suggests that students do not hold a homogenous view of
what effective feedback is and how it could be used. This has implications for educating students
on how to recognize feedback as feedback, as well as how to use it and supports the evidence that
Table 1. Key dimension 1: perceptions of feedback.
146

Theme: Meaning of feedback

Influences on student feedback I think feedback is like how you feel about the subject. They ask you a certain question and you just write your answers you
know and you don’t know if it’s right or not. It’s an expression, a response on how you feel about the question being asked
Quality of work Yes, I think the definition of feedback is giving someone information back to them in regards to their, I guess in regards to
the efficiency of their work or their performance, the quality of it…
Pointers Feedback in my opinion is more than a grade, it’s explaining where the student answered the question correctly and where
they could improve on answering the question more correctly or a bit better than they have done. So basically, pointers in a
way
Completion I think feedback is like an outline of all the things that you have to do, like, say, have you done this, this, this. You have to
tick it off. Have you done all that you are required to do
Meeting criteria You want to know how well you’ve done, whether you’ve met the criterion and how you could improve in the future
A. Poulos and M.J. Mahony

Theme: Delivery of feedback

One-to-one One on one feedback I find most useful because it relates to you, rather than in general form
When I go to the lecturers and discuss whatever it might be, discussing it with them is what I like best
If I could do the in-class discussions that they sometimes have, I’d be okay but I can’t so I have to do the one on one
… the other person has to reply so that’s the feedback
Dependent on person and With one on one [feedback] I find too, it depends on the person you’re talking to. Some people get really defensive right away
feedback if you ask what’s wrong…. I find it really hard to talk to some professors
It depends on what kind [of feedback is required]. If I would prefer or want a deeper understanding of what it is that I need to
do then I just go to the lecturer and make an appointment
Learning styles It really goes to a kind of learning styles because you’re learning from the feedback, so some people are more written and
visual, whereas some people like that discussion and clarification
Assessment of performance I think it’s circumstantial. If you’re happy with your performance, then you probably won’t want to seek one on one feedback,
however if you’re really concerned then you’re more likely to want and appreciate specific individual feedback. And group
feedback doesn’t necessarily relate to you because you could get 10 marks below your friend yet you’re both getting the same
feedback
Written feedback I also think that written feedback is more helpful because in the future when you go to do a similar assessment you can look
back and see what the written feedback is whereas if a lecturer stands up and says everyone’s performed like this, it doesn’t
sink in, you don’t write it down, you listen to it and that’s it
Table 1. Continued.

Positive and negative I think also positive and negative feedback is helpful. Some lecturers are quite inclined to just criticize everything you’ve done
wrong and give you a mark at the end, whereas others will focus only on the positive things and I think it’s good to have a
balance. No essay is perfect so the negative things that you could perhaps improve and the positive things that you’ve done
really well on should continue to do so in the future, I think that’s really good. It’s like constructive feedback. I mean we
understand as students that it takes lecturers a lot longer to mark our essays if they do have to write comments but they are
teaching us and we’re not going to learn if we have a mark at the bottom of the page without comments and whether those
comments are verbal or written or a combination, I think that it’s really important to have them
Written and oral I think it should be both, verbal and written. I already know what my levels are but the teacher didn’t know what levels I’m
at so probably
I think it should be both, verbal and written because you just have written you didn’t have verbal, it’s not good. You need to
also have verbal so you know what to write
Written comments against what I need to improve on
Theme: Feedback that relates to criteria
Provides focus … it determines what focus you give in your answer
If it’s a clear outline for example, at the moment we have an awesome criteria for an essay that we have to write and I think
its one of the easiest essays that I’ve ever written for a literature review. You know, its very clearly put out, criteria’s this …
its very clear criteria and so really, if I was given the question, I probably would have rambled a lot, you know maybe not got
down to the guts of it I guess
Need for breakdown It depends on the criteria because some are like, you must fulfil the objectives, whereas others will give you a list and this is
worth a certain amount of marks. So when there’s more of a breakdown you know in which areas you need to work on and
whereas when its sort of, here’s the question but you need to incorporate this, I tend to personally focus more on the question
than the criteria because I look back to see whether or not I have answered them, but I pay more attention if there was a
breakdown of what the criteria were each worth
Better than nothing It was a lot better than if I was just given the question with no specific criteria …
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education
147
Table 1. Continued.
148

Theme: Grades and marks

Need comments I think that’s quite an individual answer because everybody has different learning styles. So for me it’s a combination and it’s
not just a mark on a page, it’s actual comments
Role of marks and grades With a mark you know where you’ve fallen within the grade, whereas with the grade you think, oh well, you know if you did
badly, or, is that the top-end or the bottom-end of the grade? So I think we probably all think better numerically in terms of
how we’ve performed
I’ve had that with some, they just give you the descriptor without the grades, even one of them was broken up into a credit+,
distinction+, so they had even broken it down further, and that was a bit more specific but still that doesn’t tell me anything
because there’s so much room in-between those 10 marks, especially if you are at the lower end and you get a ‘D’, you’re like
‘oh my goodness, did I get a 50 or 65 because at the end of the year when you’re putting in the hard yards for the exam, like
in the end it all comes down to prioritizing. If you’re sitting on a HD [high distinction] for one subject and I’m sitting on 50
A. Poulos and M.J. Mahony

for another, then I would probably put more effort into that 50, but I could be sitting at 64, or something, you just don’t know.
The uncertainty, so I prefer the number
Table 2. Key dimension 2: impact of feedback.

Theme: Timeliness
Early feedback But on a more positive note, like most of us we have clinical, and we have a set halfway through our clinical, because we usually do it in
blocks, we have a set time where you have to sit down with your supervisor and you have to be provided feedback on every single criteria,
it’s tedious but it does give you feedback …which is great because then you can improve on it and they will give you examples of how to
improve…
It’s really valuable to do the mid-semester, get the feedback, work out where you’re going wrong, work out the areas that you understand
and hopefully do better in the end semester
I think just on that, good early feedback is just really, really good because it tells you I’m going really well in this subject or I went really
bad and I really have to do some work, do some more work, something that happens early
Yes. There’s no point giving us feedback on an assignment that we did fifteen weeks ago ’cause you’ve forgotten
… that’s the same for me, it depends, but I prefer probably written specific and very close to immediate feedback I need, ’cause otherwise,
even with an essay, once its gone into that assignment box I’m onto the next essay
Late feedback can So you haven’t got an opportunity to use it in that semester but you can use it, like if it’s one part of a four-part subject sort of thing, you
be useful can use it later on
So I think, for example, ongoing throughout the semester means you can make an improvement and change to the end of semester. If you
only get it at the end of the semester, you can’t change for that particular point, you can only change for other things and adapt that feedback
Late feedback not …you have an essay that’s due right at the end of the semester and so I would see a barrier as … you hand it in at the end of the semester
useful but by the time you get it back, if there is any feedback, it’s almost irrelevant because you don’t have to do it again and, or you haven’t got
to do another assignment for that subject and it’s so long past that you’ve forgotten about it
And even when the essays are due you might hand the essay in and not get it back and then you’ve got the exam, and if you have the concepts
totally wrong in an essay but you don’t know that, then you’ve got the concepts wrong for the exam as well
Theme: Significance
Generic feedback We get given … feedback on essays and things and if I just staple that to the back of my essay … because there are examples of other
people’s essays in the feedback, I can see what angle they perhaps have taken to the question … well its usually given in the lecture whatever,
just an A-4 piece of paper, you know, the people that went well incorporated this …
Making a change I think one of the most important things is why you have feedback, so it’s, feedback needs to be provided to you so you can actually make
a change. Irrespective of what’s provided, if you can’t make a change from what’s provided, then it’s useless
Mid-semester …although we all dread mid-semesters, but mid-semester assignments or exams in one sense let you know how you’re going in that subject
feedback and although that material might not be re-examined at the end of the semester, it lets you know whether or not you’re managing. More
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education

specifically, we’ve had an essay before that wasn’t due until the end of semester, however you could email to the lecturer and they would
provide specific feedback on it and send it back to you to help you along …
149
Table 2. Continued.
150

Feedback and …the subject that comes in our final year is focusing on being really critical of the evidence in our profession … it was a big build up to
professional this particular subject and … has made me much more critical of other types of evidence, so the feedback from the lecturer with my particular
practice assignment but also because it was a discussion group each week, so I’ve been able to apply that … to other areas in the profession, so that
type of feedback is helpful because as you’re graduating, they’re the types of things you need to be doing when you’re out there
Feedback and what … it helps me achieve what I want to achieve in the course. It helps me understand what it is I need to know
you need to know I think feedback is important because it tells you what errors you made and how you can improve on them
A. Poulos and M.J. Mahony
Table 3. Key dimension 2: impact of feedback and the first-year experience.

Feedback as communication That’s alright but you have to get the communication with it as well because that’s what I think, I really think that’s lacking
especially for first years, because they come out of school, and school to uni is just such a massive step up for them …
…and they really need more communication in that early stage. I found that as you go on in years the communication and criteria
and the relationship with the lecturers improves but just in first year it just seems sort of too distanced
Feedback and adjustment … in their [first years] assessment and they’re assessed they’re not getting any feedback and they don’t know how to adjust …
Feedback and expectations I think you come to understand with experience what is expected and that’s something that’s experiential, it’s not necessarily spelt
out to you in black and white from first year. It’s from doing an assignment for this School within the Faculty that you know, this
is what they expect
… and sure it might sort of be there in your assessment outline or we want you to be able to fulfil these criteria, but its something
that with practice we know this is what we need to gain, this is what we need to work on
Opportunities to meet with I think also in first year for feedback when it is in such a large course they say if you’ve got problems come and see me and I think
lecturers in first year a lot of people go, ‘I’ll just leave it’ and I actually went to see a lecturer in first year and I think the individual feedback was a good
step but I think a lot of people just ignore it
I think, I didn’t do my first year of university at Cumberland, but I also had a year off after school and so automatically you’re not
like a mature-aged student or anything but I had a bit more insight into, this isn’t high school now, you’re not going to be mocked
or anything if you ask a question in class, you know, the theory of if one person asks a question I’m sure everyone else in the class
has the same question, but you actually have more of an understanding that, you know, yeah I need to know the answer to this, so
you are more willing to go up and every time I’ve ever gone up to a lecturer or tutor to ask questions, they have been more than
helpful and they’ve always wanted to give of their time so like I think it’s maybe promoting that more …
Or just another medium of support say with like I think they feel a bit like alienated with lecturers, so like a peer support system
where students …
First years. Yeah because like my name’s Professor whatever and it’s very off-putting …
Yeah especially, very intimidating when you don’t really know anyone either
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education
151
152 A. Poulos and M.J. Mahony

Table 4. Key dimension 3: credibility of feedback.

Theme: Perceptions of lecturer

Ability of lecturer Even their lectures are good. With him it is like time flies, and I don’t know if that is
because he puts his notes up clear … it just needs to be laid out as it is. He gives you
time to write it down as well
Lecturer bias She has very strong opinions and she tends to impress them on us in class and it will
reflect when she marks the essays, the people that share her opinions will get the better
marks and that is not fair
We have got one lecturer though and her comments rather than being guided by your
essay are personal comments from her opinion and I don’t think that is what should
be applied, like if you are marking a subject for what the subject is and the criteria you
apply it that way not oh good on you for doing blah blah blah, it is like it has got
nothing to do with what I do as a personal thing, it is a professional essay that is how
you should be marking it

where the importance of feedback is stressed and appreciated as a contributor to learning and
achievement, feedback is taken seriously by students (Knight & Yorke 2003).
The impact of feedback depended on timeliness, perceived significance and stage of univer-
sity career. While the importance of timely feedback has long been recognized, significance and
relation to stage of university career were new. Significance related not only to providing infor-
mation on how to improve grades but also to providing feedback which could then be used in
their professional practice following graduation, a theme that might be particularly expected
from students in the final years of any professional practice preparation course. The demoraliz-
ing impact of negative feedback supports the experimental data in the study by Fritz et al., which
indicated that negative comments were subject to poorer recall than positive comments (Fritz
et al. 2000). This demoralizing impact, however, relates to the student’s interpretation of the
feedback and whether the student views negative feedback as a reflection on him/her personally
or as an opportunity to improve his/her learning (Knight & Yorke 2003) and should be explored
in further studies.
Of particular interest in these results is the importance of feedback to first-year students.
For these students feedback goes beyond providing information on how to improve assessment
marks. The ‘effective feedback’ for these students is that which provides emotional support
and facilitates integration into university. This confirms the literature, which suggests that
feedback has various functions according to the particular learning environment in which it is
examined (Mory 2004) and should be different for different levels (Knight & Yorke 2003).
This reported study provides details of these functions for year 1 students. This study also reaf-
firms the evidence provided by Yorke relating to the importance of feedback during the first
year (Yorke 2002).
The relationship between feedback and perceptions of lecturers is also suggested by the
results of this research. Effective lecturers provided effective feedback. The perceived ability of
lecturers overall related to the credibility and impact, and hence effectiveness, of the feedback
provided while the particular biases of the lecturers detracted from their credibility and so feed-
back was deemed less effective. These biases expressed in the study were related to ideological
viewpoints rather than those influencing the lecturers’ approach to feedback. Similar biases are
mentioned by Knight and Yorke, who provide the example of teacher biases towards a levelling
up or social justice approach that will result in different feedback from a teacher who supports the
high flyers and survival-of-the-fittest approach (Knight & Yorke 2003).
 Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 153

Implications for practice and research

In the study participants expressed strong preference for:
● consistent assessment practices;
● transparent assessment practices;
● clear criteria-referencing to a grade;
● early feedback, including exams;
● marks and grades together;
● seminars for new students on feedback and assessment practices.
The three key dimensions suggested that these are necessary but not sufficient for effective feed-
back to students. Meeting these explicit requirements should be associated with a programmr
aimed at improving and extending students’ ability to recognize and to use feedback, building a
shared understanding of feedback with their university teachers.
This study has therefore increased our understanding of the meaning of ‘effective feedback’
for students and its impact on student learning and progress through a course of study. As recom-
mended by Mory (Mory 2004) the reported study has identified variables that affect how feed-
back is perceived. Future research should focus on these potential variables to increase our
knowledge of the impact of feedback on specific groups of students such as recent school leavers,
mature-age students and students from other disciplines experiencing different learning strategies
and teaching methods.

Conclusion
This study focused on students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of feedback given to them by
their university teachers. Three dimensions were identified, each with themes providing insight
for improvements in university teaching by more sophisticated attention to the role of feedback
in student-centred learning. The study indicated that effectiveness of feedback extends beyond
types of delivery and timeliness, that feedback contributes to successful transition to university
for students in the first year, and that credibility and hence impact of feedback is influenced by
student perceptions of the provider.
The importance of ensuring feedback is congruent with student expectations, and that student
expectations are congruent with good learning practices is represented by this study participant’s
comment:
… feedback needs to be provided to you so you can actually make a change … if you can’t make a
change from what’s provided then it’s useless.

Notes on contributors
Ann Poulos is currently associate dean of learning and teaching in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University
of Sydney. In this capacity she has been responsible for improving and maintaining excellence in learning
and teaching in the large Faculty of Health Sciences. She is a senior lecturer in the School of Medical Radi-
ation Sciences and has considerable experience in teaching, curriculum development and instructional
design at all levels.

Mary Jane Mahony is director of Education Connections, and senior lecturer in Distance and Flexible
Education. Her career has included curriculum/instructional design, evaluation, systems development,
distance teaching, project management and academic management.

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