Students' biggest concern is feedback | Students | EducationGuardian.co.uk

Students' biggest concern is feedback | Students | EducationGuardian.co.uk: "Students' biggest concern is feedback Anthea Lipsett Wednesday September 12, 2007 EducationGuardian.co.uk Universities will have to do more to influence student perceptions of good feedback, higher education officials said today, as they unveiled the results of the third national student survey (NSS). The survey asked final-year students about their experience of all aspects of university life including teaching, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources and personal development. Universities received the lowest score in the area of assessment and feedback, where 62% of students were satisfied. But Michael Arthur, chair of the NSS steering group and vice-chancellor of Leeds University, said students had concerns about feedback rather than assessment."

Possibly interesting article to note... how do students really feel about the feedback they give? Is it really more important in the long run than assessment - my instinct says that it is. An exam is good in the short run but it's the integral and longer term effect of feedback which lasts. I've just had my H807 result and have been ecstatic with it... but... was it a good learning experience overall? My honest answer is 'no'. No engagement student-to-student, tutor-to-student... and it's a hollow result. Had there been that all important quality feedback and a learning relationship established, then I might feel differently. A course which covers education theories and innovation - well, it ended up feeling like a sham because the reality didn't match up to the words which were headed our way.

Could be an interesting area for investigation. Particularly important in the area of elearning because if there is little face-to-face contact, then what is there left other than feedback to help the learner along? Well, probably other things exist to support learners too, but I'd still suggest that the right sort of feedback is critical. But what is that exactly??