Feedback resources

Selected by Neil Currant, OCSLD, Oxford Brookes University, and participants on the #fslt12 MOOC (massive open online course)

  1. Principles of good assessment and feedback: Theory and practice
    This paper by David Nicol, published by the University of York, presents 10 principles of good assessment and feedback practice based on research as part of the Re-Engineering Assessment Practices project. It also provides the rationale for these principles and their selection criteria. The guidance is applied to the design of, and the problems identified with, the first year experience in higher education. In other literature, Nicol has used 7 similar principles.
  2. Giving and receiving feedback learning package
    This is a downloadable learning package which looks at the basics of giving and receiving feedback in higher education. It examines what feedback is, why it is important and its different forms. It explores the characteristics of effective feedback and skills associated with it. The activity considers the learning opportunities feedback presents. Without learning taking place, feedback is redundant and so methods which encourage learning are also reviewed.
  3. Audio Feedback
    Can digital audio be used to give students quicker, better feedback on their work? That was the central question for the ‘Sounds Good’ project which started with a team of about 15 teachers in a range of disciplines exploring the use of digital audio to give feedback on students' coursework. Could it save staff time? Would the feedback to students be improved? The final report and the practice tips on audio feedback are good places to start. The project recommends that most higher education teachers should at least try audio feedback to see if it will prove effective for them.
  4. Using Video for Feedback
    A set of guides from the University of Reading on the benefits and drawbacks of using video feedback for student learning.
  5. Using technology to encourage student engagement with feedback: a literature review.
    This paper by Hepplestone et al. reviews the literature over a ten year period with some suggestions for implementation. A couple of interesting ideas arose from the article- the release of feedback separate from grades, peer feedback improves student's own assignments and some comments that "feed forward" at the end of the feedback are essential for some students.
  6. Conditions under which Assessment Supports Students' Learning
    Full paper citation : Gibbs, G. & Simpson, C. (2004) Conditions under which assessment supports students’ learning. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Issue 1, 2004-05. Retrieved fromwww.londonmet.ac.uk/library/r71034_39.pdf 
  7. A view of the Assessment and Feedback Landscape: baseline analysis of policy and practice from the JISC Assessment & Feedback programme
    "Assessment and feedback lies at the heart of the learning experience, and forms a significant part of both academic and administrative workload. It remains however the single biggest source of student dissatisfaction with the higher education experience. The JISC Assessment and Feedback programme (Sept 2011-Aug 2014) is supporting large-scale changes in assessment and feedback practice, supported by technology, with the aim of enhancing the learning and teaching process and delivering efficiencies and quality improvements. This report summarises baseline reviews undertaken by a number of institutions as part of their programme activity."