Application of Formalised Developmental Feedback for Feed-Forward to Foster Student Ownership of the Learning Process

Abstract

There has been considerable criticism of assessment methods because of inconsistencies across modules and a focus on the measurement of learning rather than assessment for learning. The aim of the current study was to formalise the process of assessment feedback to feed-forward, and assess the impact on student learning. A cohort of undergraduate students ( N = 33) took part in a test-retest study on coursework assessment across 2 consecutive modules. They were assessed using generic academic criteria and instructed to use the grid from the previous feedback as a checklist to inform any amendments to their work. Findings demonstrated statistically significant improvements across 4 out of 5 domains of generic criteria, which improved the overall quality of the work. Active use of a consistent generic marking grid across modules enabled students to learn from feedback and apply that learning appropriately.