Technology Enhanced Feedback

Last updated 5 December

The Assessment matrix identifies functionality of digital platforms and software commonly used for assessment and feedback at UCL. This resource takes a deeper look at how digital methods can support effective feedback whether for summative and formative (developmental), formal or informal purposes, including large class settings.

Converting to digital methods can enhance summative and formative feedback practice, for example, by providing mechanisms for quicker, more efficient delivery and different modes such as audio or video, and for making it more tailored, detailed or personalised. Studies have demonstrated that students respond positively to technology-enhanced feedback and that it can improve the way they receive and apply it.

Whilst simply introducing more technology enabled feedback may bring benefits in itself, in order to gain maximum benefit, it is worth reviewing your approach to see where other improvements could be made. (1) Assessment and feedback experts propose shifting from the one-way teacher to student feedback model towards a dialogic approach in which the student action and outputs of the feedback process are what matters most. (2) 

Many of the suggestions in the Technology Enhanced Feedback table reflect this dialogic, learner centred approach. Below the table you will find some Feedback principles, further resources to follow up on and suggested activities.

Technology Enhanced Feedback Table

The table provides practical examples of how technology can help you enhance feedback practice. Within each example there is information about which platform at UCL is suitable and whether the method is appropriate for large classes with links to supporting guidance and, where available, case studies. Whilst many of the suggestions are not necessarily more time consuming even for large cohorts, staff may need additional support in changing practice.

In this table you will find entries marked 'C' which indicate that they are provided centrally by the institution for all to use. Those marked with a 'D' require local approval and procurement at departments or Faculty level. If you are interested in exploring any of those marked with 'D' you are advised to speak to your departmental education leadership team. This is because assessment and feedback are a priority for UCL and work in this area is being progressed through Faculty and Departmental Education Plans (FEPs and DEPs), overseen by the Office of UCL Vice Provost (OVP) Education and Student Experience.

NB: if you spot any errors or areas that need updating please contact the Digital Assessment Advisory: assessment-advisory@ucl.ac.uk.

Feedback principles

For summative assessment, feedback is often used to justify grades but should also include information on future actions the student can take to improve on areas where they did not perform so well and build on their achievements. However, feedback can often be more effective when decoupled from grades. Formative, non-graded activities which provide timely, developmental feedback help students to focus on their learning which can positively impact on the effectiveness of feedback and, by consequence, their performance in summative assessment.

As mentioned above, the effectiveness of feedback can be enhanced by digital methods but is also contingent on other factors. Here are some pointers to help your students benefit from feedback in its various forms:

• Provide early opportunities for students to practice and act on feedback  The self-efficacy (and hence retention and ultimate achievement) of all students, whatever their level, will be improved by providing early opportunities to practice and learn from both achievements and mistakes. Students can struggle with knowing how best to direct their efforts, and early formative feedback can allay some of their fears, leading to better outcomes and giving them sufficient time to make use of it in their summative assessments.
• Encourage students to be active participants in feedback process.   David Nicols and others point out that there is an assumption embedded in the NSS that feedback is something (usually written comments) delivered from the tutor to the student and if students received more of this they would perform better in their studies. This 'bypasses some fundamental aspects of the feedback cycle and it ignores the active role students must play in the process for it to be effective.' (3) . Rather than focussing on feedback as something done by tutors, we need to focus on what the student does both as part of the feedback process and as a result of it.
• Establish a culture of feedback dialogue A dialogic approach, introduced early on, will help build student confidence and motivation which is key to engagement and success. It will need careful introduction in order to build trust; the balance of power between staff and students can impact on its success and may require a substantial shift in thinking for many students and academics alike.   
• Address student conceptions of feedback   As mentioned, students may not always recognize feedback opportunities as they may expect this to come in the form of written comments. Be explicit about the forms that feedback takes (e.g., group, informal or verbal) and where relevant highlight that feedback is being provided. Where more than one mode is used, be clear with students about the purpose of each, how to interpret them and how they connect with each other. Also, some students may be more alert to feedback opportunities than others and some may be more confident in actively seeking out feedback from you. Gently indicate different feedback moments to students and provide feedback opportunities for all students rather than just those who seek it out. And always ensure that students know how and where to access any recorded feedback (written, audio etc).
• Uncouple marking and feedback Marking and feedback are two conceptually different purposes.(4) If marks are provided along with feedback, it is either too late to use it because it has been given at the end of unit of study OR students just go straight to the grade and ignore the feedback. If the grade is not so good, the student may want the type of feedback that justifies their grade but not be receptive to developmental (forward facing) feedback and if they achieved a high grade, they may see the feedback as irrelevant.
• Establish a shared understanding of feedback practice amongst staff and students Individual academics may have different views or approaches to feedback which can create inconsistency of experience for students and confused messaging. As a team, it is good practice to agree (and then communicate with students so they share your interpretations) on the following:
  • the purpose of feedback at different stages of the programme.
  • interpretation of language, standards and criteria around assessment.  
  • what constitutes good feedback. It is not only about telling students what they have done well or not so well in past work but is future facing, helping the student with strategies to move forward.
  • the interpretations of standards, processes and regulations.
  • roles and responsibilities around the assessment and feedback process, deadlines and expectations. 

For large cohorts consider using a shared rubric or assessment matrix to ensure consistency and ensure that all staff can interpret the rubric or if there are areas that need clarification.  This can be done via a meeting or away day and, for example:

• Carry out a moderation exercise and share how each tutor has applied the rubric and what feedback they would provide. 
• Ask each tutor to provide two pieces of feedforward telling students what they can do better in their next assessment piece.   
• Link feedback to performance criteria Link feedback to requirements of summative assessment as part of an aligned approach and revisit those requirements in order to explicitly show how they are supporting the students' development. 
• Provide a balance of tutor, peer and self-assessment opportunities As well as tutor to student feedback, including opportunities for students to assess their own work and that of others helps then develop an understanding of criteria, their own capabilities and to reflect on their learning. Rather than over reliance on tutor feedback, peer and self-evaluation support students to realistically benchmark their own work to the criteria. Self-assessment helps students develop the necessary critical skills to realistically judge their own performance. This is essential for future life and work as well as their studies. (5) Supporting peer and self-assessment can take some advanced planning and you need to try and choose strategies that best fit the stage of study, subject and levels of confidence of students involved.
• Manage your workload   Building in formative activities can be tricky if you are focusing on getting through content in class time, but if you can dedicate some time to feedback opportunities this will be immensely helpful to your students and to your understanding of what their learning needs are. 
  • Put effort where it counts, e.g., try and ensure you are giving feedback to students when they can actually make use of it and in a way that makes sense of where they are in their learning. For example, feedback for summative end point assessment could be used to justify grades and refer back to earlier formative feedback.
  • Make use of local/departmental support networks - there is a lot of expertise out there within your departments or in wider networks.   In a lot of cases there is no point in reinventing the wheel.   
  • If individual comments have a lot in common, these can be given as general feedback to the cohort. You can then spend the time you save on repeating yourself to give more student-specific comments.

 
Activities you can try
Some ideas for student (formative) activities

• Students create questions for in-class diagnostic quiz.
• Students create revision resource (glossary of terms, talking heads explaining threshold concepts)
• Students lead discussion on course material with Q&A
• Entry and exit slips (what do you recall from last session & what are you unclear about)
• Learning logs - regular time to reflect on learning (with prompts)
• Student designed seminar/event.

Some ideas for tutor (formative) feedback

• Brief students on assignment requirements (+ Q&A)
• Share examples (work of required standard /worked examples)
• Students bring drafts to class for 10-minute checking in session.
• Students submit short extracts of work in progress for quick feedback.
• Use a 'feedback stamp' (for project work etc)
• Offer time constrained drop ins/webinars/ chat sessions.
• Provide practice sessions on tasks related to key competences.
• Personalise feedback - audio/video feedback quick + powerful.

Some ideas to promote student assessment literacy.

• Provide small-focused tasks with opportunities for discussion and reflection about assessment criteria.
• Students provide constructive feedback to peers using rubric/criteria.
• Ask students to rate their work using a criteria grid - 'fully met', 'partially met' and 'not well met'.
• Students write the assessment criteria in their own words.
• Students set marking criteria for specific tasks using agreed marking guidelines.
• Provide feedback given to former students and ask them to rank work just from the comments.
• Ask class to grade three similar assignments - excellent, good, poor - ask students what the differences are.

Resources

• Audio approaches in Wiseflow and Moodle.
• How can we give students better quality feedback? an activity you can do with your departmental/module teams. It was designed by Kay Sambell, Sally Brown and Phil Race, three renowned UK experts in assessment.
• Assessment and Feedback: Watt works Resources developed by Kay Sambell for Herriot Watt including time friendly feedback strategies.
• The 7 components of technology enhanced feedback, Monash University.
• AI as Feedback Partner, Mike Sharples.
• Unlocking the power of comparison-based feedback. Podcast with David Nichol from Glasgow University.
• Working effectively in a group (guidance for students)
• Assessing group work

References

3. Nicol, D. 2009, Centre for Educational Development Reflections on Assessment and Feedback (May 2009 conference publication), Queen's University Belfast

1. Payne, A. 2021 (preprint) Technology-Enhanced Feedback in Higher Education: Source-Recipient Relationships in a New Dialogic Paradigm
2. Winstone, N. and Carless, D. (2020) Designing Effective Feedback Processes in Higher Education: A Learning-Focused Approach, Abingdon: Routledge, 208pp. Available to download under creative commons licence.
3. Nicol, D. 2009, Centre for Educational Development Reflections on Assessment and Feedback (May 2009 conference publication), Queen's University Belfast
4. Winston, N. and Boud, D. (2022): The need to disentangle assessment and feedback in higher education in Studies in Higher Education Volume 47. Issue 3
5. Sharma, R. et al (2016) Impact of self-assessment by students on their learning. International Journal of Applied Basic Medical Research. Jul-Sep;6(3):226-94.