Abstract
This chapter focuses on the role of feedback in learning with particular emphasis on its effect on learner performance, motivation and self-regulation. The authors provide a critical account of definitions and models of feedback, tease out the conceptual roots of practice guidelines and highlight how individual, relational and environmental factors can impact on the utility of feedback as a performance changing device. Many of the conceptual models published in the literature draw on theoretical principles rather than empirical data to support the impact of feedback on learning/performance change. The empirical data from a diverse range of disciplines converge to a common finding—that written and verbal feedback in practice deviates considerably from principles of effective practice. The reasons for this theory–practice disjunction are explored, and the authors suggest that the lack of adoption of advocated principles may represent a need to look at feedback in a different way.
A constructivist view on feedback encourages learners and educators to view feedback as a system of learning, rather than discreet episodes of educators “telling” learners about their performance. Highlighting the need for a shift in conceptual framework is not enough however. What is limited in the feedback literature is how to achieve feedback encounters that are typified by learner engagement. We argue that contesting the traditional, behaviourist “feedback ritual” requires leadership from educators, and a deliberate commitment to curricular redesign with purposeful and structured opportunities for learners to engage in feedback episodes, to put into place changes triggered by feedback and finally to re-evaluate performance in relation to set goals. Such a “system-orientated” take on feedback design requires upskilling of both educators and learners and needs to factor in the influence of context, culture and relationships in learning.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asghar, A. (2009). Reciprocal peer coaching and its use as a formative assessment strategy for first year students. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(4), 403–417.
Biggs, J. (1993). From theory to practice: A cognitive systems approach. Higher Education Research and Development, 12, 73–85.
Boud, D. (1995). Assessment and learning: Contradictory or complementary? In P. Knight (Ed.), Assessment for learning in higher education (pp. 35–48). London: Kogan Page.
*Boud, D. (2000). Sustainable assessment: Rethinking assessment for the learning society. Studies in Continuing Education, 22(2), 151–167.
Boud, D., & Falchikov, N. (2007). Developing assessment for informing judgement. In D. Boud & N. Falchikov (Eds.), Rethinking assessment for higher education: Learning for the longer term (pp. 181–197). London: Routledge.
Butler, R. (1987). Task-involving and ego-involving properties of evaluation: Effects of different feedback conditions on motivational perceptions, interest and performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 78(4), 210–216.
*Butler, D., & Winne, P. (1995). Feedback and self-regulated learning: A theoretical synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 65(3), 245–281.
*Carless, D., Salter, D., Yang, M., & Lam, J. (2010). Developing sustainable feedback practices. Studies in Higher Education, 36(1), 1–13.
Chinn, C., & Brewer, W. (1993). The role of anomalous data in knowledge acquisition: A theoretical framework and implications for science instruction. Review of Educational Research, 63, 1–49.
Clariana, R., Wagner, B., & Roher Murphy, L. (2000). Applying a connectionist description of feedback timing. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 5–21.
Dweck, C. (1999). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality and development. Philadelphia: Psychology Press.
Ende, J. (1983). Feedback in clinical medical education. Journal of the American Medical Association, 250, 777–781.
Ende, J., Pomerantz, A., & Erickson, F. (1995). Preceptors’ strategies for correcting residents in an ambulatory care medicine setting: A qualitative analysis. Academic Medicine, 70, 224–229.
Falchikov, N. (2002). Learning together: Peer tutoring in higher education. London: Routledge and Palmer.
Fantuzzo, J., & Riggio, R. (1989). Effects of reciprocal peer tutoring on academic achievement and psychological adjustment: A component analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 81(2), 173–177.
Fernando, N., Cleland, J., McKenzie, H., Cassar, K., Fernando, N., Cleland, J., et al. (2008). Identifying the factors that determine feedback given to undergraduate medical students following formative mini-CEX assessments. Medical Education, 42(1), 89–95.
Harré, R., & Van Langenhove, L. (1999). Positioning theory. Oxford: Blackwell.
Hattie, J., Biggs, J., & Purdie, N. (1996). Effects of learning skills intervention on student learning: A meta-analysis. Review of Research in Education, 66, 99–136.
*Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77, 81–112.
Henderson, P., Ferguson-Smith, A., & Johnson, M. (2005). Developing essential professional skills: A framework for teaching and learning about feedback. BMC Medical Education, 5, 1–6.
Higgs, J., Richardson, B., & Abrandt Dahlgren, M. (Eds.). (2004). Developing practice knowledge for health professionals. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.
Higher Education Funding Council for England. (2011). The National Student Survey: Finding and Trends. 2006–2010. Bristol: Higher Education Funding Council for England.
Hounsell, D. (2007). Towards more sustainable feedback to students. In D. Boud & N. Falchikov (Eds.), Rethinking assessment in higher education (pp. 101–13). London: Routledge.
Ilgen, D., & Davis, C. (2000). Bearing bad news: Reactions to negative performance feedback. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 49, 550–565.
*Kluger, A., & DeNisi, A. (1996). The effects of feedback interventions on performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory. Psychological Bulletin, 119(2), 254–284.
Kluger, A., & Nir, D. (2009). The feedforward interview. Human Resource Management Review, 20, 235–246.
Kluger, A., & Van Dijk, D. (2010). Feedback, the various tasks of the doctor, and the feedforward alternative. Medical Education, 44, 1166–1174.
Krause, K., Hartley, R., James, R., & McInnis, C. (2005). The first year experience in Australian universities: Findings from a decade of national studies. Retrieved August 5, 2009, from http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/pdfs/FYEReport05KLK.pdf
Kulhavy, R., & Stock, W. (1989). Feedback in written instruction: The place of response certitude. Educational Psychology Review, 1, 279–308.
Kulhavy, R., & Stock, W. (1989). Feedback in written instruction: The place of response certitude. Educational Psychology Review, 1, 279–308.
*Kulik, J., & Kulik, C. (1988). Timing of feedback and verbal learning. Review of Educational Research, 58(1), 79–97.
Ladyshewsky, R. (2010). Building competency in the novice allied health professional through peer coaching. Journal of Allied Health, 39(2), 77–82.
Latting, J. (1992). Giving corrective feedback: A decisional analysis. Social Work, 37, 424–430.
Liu, N., & Carless, D. (2006). Peer feedback: The learning element of peer assessment. Teaching in Higher Education, 11(3), 279–290.
MacDonald, R. (1991). Developmental students’ processing of teacher feedback in composition instruction. Review of Research in Developmental Education, 8(5), n5.
Molloy, E. (2009). Time to pause: Feedback in clinical education, Chapter 8. In C. Delany & E. Molloy (Eds.), Clinical education in the health professions. Sydney: Elsevier.
Molloy, E. (2010). The feedforward mechanism: A way forward in clinical learning? Medical Education, 44, 1157–1159.
Molloy, E., & Clarke, D. (2005). The positioning of physiotherapy students and clinical supervisors in feedback sessions. Focus on Health Professional Education, 7, 79–90.
Mory, E. (2004). Feedback research revisited. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (2nd ed., pp. 745–783). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Narciss, S. (2008). Feedback strategies for interactive learning tasks. In M. Spector, M. Spector, D. David Merrill, J. van Merrienboer, M. Driscoll, & M. Driscoll (Eds.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (3rd ed., pp. 125–143). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Nicol, D. (2009). Assessment for learner self-regulation: Enhancing achievement in the first year using learning technologies. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 34(3), 335–352.
*Nicol, D., & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), 199–218.
O’Donovan, B., Price, M., & Rust, C. (2008). Developing student understanding of assessment standards: A nested hierarchy of approaches. Teaching in Higher Education, 13(2), 205–217.
Phye, G., & Sanders, C. (1994). Advice and feedback: Elements of practice for problem solving. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 19, 286–301.
Pintrich, P., & Zusho, A. (2002). Student motivation and self-regulated learning in the college classroom. In J. C. Smart & W. G. Tierney (Eds.), Higher education: Handbook of theory and research (Vol. XVII). New York, NY: Agathon Press.
Poulos, A., & Mahony, M. (2008). Effectiveness of feedback: The students’ perspective. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33, 143–154.
*Price, M., Handley, K., Millar, J., & O’Donovan, B. (2010). Feedback: All that effort, but what is the effect? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(3), 277–289.
Pritchard, R., Jones, S., Roth, P., Stuebing, K., & Ekeberg, S. (1988). Effects of group feedback, goal setting, and incentives on organizational productivity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 73(2), 337–358.
Ramaprasad, A. (1983). On the definition of feedback. Behavioral Science, 28, 4–13.
Riordan, T., & Loacker, G. (2009). Collaborative and systemic assessment of student learning: From principles to practice. In G. Joughin (Ed.), Assessment, learning and judgement in higher education (pp. 175–192). Dordrecht: Springer.
Rorty, R. (1989). Contingency, irony and solidarity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Rust, C., Price, M., & O’Donovan, B. (2003). Improving students’ learning by developing their understanding of assessment criteria and processes. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 28(2), 147–164.
Sadler, D. (1983). Evaluation and the improvement of academic learning. Journal of Higher Education, 54(1), 60–79.
Sadler, D. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems. Instructional Science, 18, 119–144.
Sadler, D. (1998). Formative assessment: Revisiting the territory. Assessment in Education, 5(1), 77–84.
Sinclair, H. K., & Cleland, J. A. (2007). Undergraduate medical students: Who seeks formative feedback? Medical Education, 41, 580–582.
*Shute, V. (2008). Focus on formative feedback. Review of Educational Research, 78(1), 153–189.
Wiener, N. (1954). The human use of human beings: Cybernetics and society. Oxford: Houghton Mifflin.
Yorke, M. (2003). Formative assessment in higher education: Moves towards theory and the enhancement of pedagogic practice. Higher Education, 45(4), 477–501.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Molloy, E.K., Boud, D. (2014). Feedback Models for Learning, Teaching and Performance. In: Spector, J., Merrill, M., Elen, J., Bishop, M. (eds) Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_33
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_33
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-3184-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-3185-5
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)