Evolution of feedback ecology: reshaping students’ conceptions and practices in feedback literacy

For feedback processes to be effective, they need to involve students actively in generating, processing and responding to feedback information. Teacher transmission approaches are unlikely to provide a good investment of time and resources because they fail to draw sufficiently on student agency. In this conceptual article, it is argued that students need to be at the centre of feedback processes in making productive use of feedback inputs of various forms. The educator role lies in designing learning environments which provide plentiful opportunities for students to make evaluative judgments and take action in response to feedback information. The analysis is framed through the interlocking concepts of internal feedback which students generate for themselves; and students’ feedback literacy, the capacities to involve themselves productively in feedback processes. Student peer review with a written response, and using exemplars as proxies for teacher feedback are proposed as pedagogic options which stimulate the production of internal feedback and promote student feedback literacy. These two learning activities are analyzed to illustrate research-informed ways of enabling students to generate internal feedback by making comparisons between their own production and that of others. Digital affordances and possibilities are also discussed with particular emphasis on video peer feedback and annotated online exemplars. The main implications for practice are summarized in relation to educator and student roles, and related digital affordances. Challenges for implementation are discussed and addressed. An important consideration is to develop workload-friendly strategies which avoid the wastefulness of much current unproductive marking practices. The analysis suggests that shared teacher and student feedback literacy carries potential to facilitate principled research-informed ways forward for feedback processes.

To realize the potential of feedback, students need to possess feedback literacy. Frequently implemented in writing classrooms, peer feedback activities carry unique potential for developing student feedback literacy. This paper proposes an instructional model of teacher-supported peer feedback in relation to the enhancement of student feedback literacy from a self-regulatory perspective. The paper conceptualizes student feedback literacy as learners’ capabilities to carry out core activities in feedback processes, including seeking, generating, processing, and using feedback during self-regulation. It outlines pertinent teacher support before, during, and after peer feedback activities to facilitate student writers’ seeking, generating, processing, and using of feedback during their behavioral self-regulation of writing encompassing self-observation, self-judgement, and self-reaction. The instructional model highlights teacher support to foster an active learner role in feedback processes by giving students opportunities to conduct several rounds of feedback calibration by themselves before seeking teacher feedback. Future studies may investigate the implementation and effectiveness of the instructional model.

Feedback is widely acknowledged as a critical determinant of student learning and academic achievement; however, traditional feedback practices often position students as passive recipients, limiting their engagement and uptake of feedback. Responding to this limitation, the present study investigates the impact of teachers’ agentic feedback on students’ academic performance, with particular emphasis on the mediating roles of students’ engagement and teachers’ feedback literacy. Employing a convergent mixed-methods research design, the study was conducted among secondary school mathematics teachers and students in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Quantitative data were collected from 240 mathematics teachers and 452 secondary-level students using standardized Likert-scale questionnaires, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 36 participants. Multistage sampling techniques were employed to ensure representativeness across districts, schools, teachers, and students. Quantitative data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), while qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that teachers’ agentic feedback exerts a significant positive effect on students’ engagement and teachers’ feedback literacy. Furthermore, both students’ engagement and teachers’ feedback literacy significantly mediate the relationship between agentic feedback and students’ academic performance in mathematics. Students’ engagement emerged as the stronger mediator, indicating its central role in translating feedback into improved learning outcomes. Qualitative findings corroborate the quantitative results, highlighting the importance of dialogic feedback, student agency, and professional competence in feedback practices, while also identifying contextual constraints such as large class sizes and examination pressure. The study concludes that fostering agentic feedback practices and enhancing teachers’ feedback literacy can substantially improve student engagement and academic performance, particularly in mathematics education within developing educational contexts.

Recent growth in research on feedback has focussed on the importance of developing student feedback literacy. That is, the capabilities students need to make good use of feedback processes. To date there have been few investigations of how ideas about student feedback literacy can be translated into course design. This paper therefore examines student feedback capabilities in the context of an undergraduate course intervention based on an empirically based feedback literacy framework. 237 student journals written in response to self and peer feedback information were coded for student feedback literacy features and the effectiveness of pedagogical approaches for building the needed capabilities. Findings highlight the presence, extent and trajectories of feedback capabilities over time within the course. Based on these, pedagogical approaches which incorporate feedback affordances are identified.

Assessing L2 student writing feedback literacy: A scale development and validation study

Explorando la alfabetización en feedback en la formación de profesionales de la salud: un estudio cualitativo

Quality feedback is crucial to student success and learning experience; yet higher education continues to struggle with the provision of effective feedback. Scholarship in feedback studies has shifted from viewing feedback as a product transmitted from teachers to students, to promoting it as a two-way process in which students and teachers engage in interactive dialogue (Yang & Carless, 2013). However, predominant feedback practices still follow a one-way paradigm, with teachers having very limited understanding of how students engage with feedback. This is partly due to the difficulty in tracking ways learners interact with feedback. Consequently, there is a lack of support for students to benefit from feedback and for teachers to improve feedback strategies. To bridge the gap between students and teachers in a feedback process, we propose feedback analytics as a solution. Feedback analytics collects, analyses, and reports on students’ interactions with feedback. Such data-based insights have great potential to scaffold the development of students’ feedback literacy, manifested in active involvement in seeking feedback, interpreting it, acting on it, and regulating the emotions that may arise during feedback processes (Carless & Boud, 2018). By capturing, analyzing, and reporting data about learners’ interactions with feedback, feedback analytics can enhance reflections among learners on their learning progress and teachers on ways to support learners. In this presentation, we introduce a novel feedback analytics system that builds on key feedback theories including feedback literacy (Carless & Boud, 2018), dialogic feedback (Yang & Carless, 2013), and learner-centred feedback (Ryan et al., 2023). The tool can: a) support students to make sense of feedback and act on it; and b) support teachers to track student interactions with feedback and provide targeted support. The system contains a student-facing tool and a teacher-facing tool, both leveraging AI technologies to support key functionalities. The student-facing tool enables students to highlight and label feedback, create reflective notes and action plans, seek further explanations from Generative AI or teachers, and track their strengths, weaknesses, and action progress across multiple assessments and courses. The teacher-facing tool supports teachers to enhance feedback quality by assessing the alignment of their feedback with learner-centred principles and suggesting ways to improve it. It also helps teachers shape feedback strategies by providing data about students’ interactions with feedback through the functionalities mentioned above, in addition to students’ feedback requests and perceptions of feedback usefulness. The tool has been piloted in both lab and authentic learning settings, receiving positive feedback from educators and students on its potential to transform feedback practice, while noting the need to balance human judgement with AI suggestions.

Introduction Feedback literacy is critical for medical students to develop their competencies. However, a conceptualisation or framework of feedback literacy specific to the medical education context has yet to be developed. A comprehensive framework that addresses diverse feedback sources, dynamic environments, and the prioritisation of patient safety can guide the development of feedback literacy in medical students. Materials and Methods The present study explored and triangulated stakeholder perspectives (medical students, medical educators and patients) on medical student feedback literacy through semi-structured interviews. This information was then used to develop a feedback literacy framework. Data collection took place over approximately six months, from August 2023 to January 2024. Results Nine focus group discussions and 26 individual interviews were conducted, involving 38 medical students from 14 medical schools, 15 medical educators from six medical schools and 11 patients from four healthcare facilities. The resulting transcripts were thematically analysed, and stakeholder perspectives were triangulated to identify emerging patterns. A feedback literacy framework for medical students was then designed based on the coded themes. The framework comprises seven elements, including a fundamental appreciation of feedback, preparation for and engagement in the process, analysis and evaluation of information and the need for emotional regulation to effectively internalise feedback and become safe, competent doctors. Conclusion This study builds on existing frameworks to reveal novel elements of feedback literacy. Patient safety and reflective practice emerged as new components of feedback literacy exclusive to medical students, while emotional regulation and the use of multiple feedback sources were adapted to fit the medical education context. Thus, this framework addresses an identified gap and advances the conceptualisation of feedback literacy to suit medical students better.

The study examined the effects of interactionist dynamic assessment on EFL learners' feedback literacy in writing, comparing it with traditional written corrective feedback. It also explored learners' perceptions of this assessment approach. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design, the study collected both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were gathered through the Feedback Literacy Scale to address the first research question regarding the impact of interactionist dynamic assessment on feedback literacy. Qualitative data were obtained from interviews to address the second research question concerning learners' perceptions of interactionist dynamic assessment. The findings indicated that interactionist dynamic assessment was more effective than written corrective feedback in enhancing students' feedback literacy. Learners reported predominantly positive experiences with interactionist dynamic assessment, noting improved understanding, increased motivation, a heightened awareness of errors, and a sense of being valued through individualized learning opportunities. Consequently, EFL teachers are encouraged to incorporate interactionist dynamic assessment into their writing classes to enhance the feedback process, improve student feedback uptake, and foster better teacher-student interactions.

While health professions education has embraced collaborative and co-creative learning approaches, the integration of digital technologies into feedback practices remains limited, especially in undergraduate dental education. This study investigated the impact of Padlet, a digital pinboard, on collaborative learning and feedback literacy among undergraduate dental students during a formative assessment activity guided by Nicol and MacFarlane's feedback principles. A convenience sample of 39 Year 3 dental students (25 women and 14 men, mean age = 22) enrolled in a Bachelor of Dental Surgery program at a private dental school in Malaysia participated in a week-long Padlet-based peer feedback activity focused on periodontics. Thematic analysis was conducted on student interactions and reflections collected from Padlet posts and individual student reflections. The study yielded promising outcomes. Padlet's asynchronous and anonymous nature fostered in-depth discussions, broader participation, and constructive feedback. Students reported a boost in confidence, increased engagement, and a sense of camaraderie. Thematic analysis revealed the successful application of Nicol and MacFarlane's feedback principles, including clarifying expectations, promoting self-assessment, facilitating teacher-student dialogue, and encouraging reflection and action. The findings of this study suggest that Padlet, with its unique features, offers a valuable tool for educators seeking to foster collaborative learning and feedback literacy in dental education. Padlet's affordances can significantly enhance collaborative learning and feedback literacy, promoting a trusting environment for student-centered learning and self-regulation in dental education. The study's findings suggest that Padlet can foster cognitive flexibility, allowing students to consider multiple perspectives and adapt their thinking. The platform's asynchronous nature and anonymity feature appeared to contribute to a sense of community and psychological safety, fostering trust among students. The findings of this study have practical implications for educators seeking to implement effective feedback practices and leverage technology to create engaging learning experiences that foster trust, collaboration, and, ultimately, student success.

Recent scholarship has advanced the notion of teacher feedback literacy (TFL) as necessary to foster student uptake of feedback and feedback literacy. However, the literature falls short of empirical work that demonstrates how these ideas translate into practice. This paper investigates the extent to which the feedback practices of highly regarded university teachers align with the proposed macro, meso, and micro level TFL competencies. Drawing on semi-structured interview data gathered from 33 associate and full professors across five universities in Australia, Denmark, and Norway, a deductive thematic analysis revealed that all levels of competencies were evident and showed a relatively balanced distribution overall among the three levels, although the prominence of competencies within each level varied. Most of the participants (85%) exhibited competencies across all three levels. Feedback practices such as effective resource use, dialogic feedback design, and constructive feedback were more prominent, whereas managing feedback pressures and differentiating feedback occurred less frequently. An inductive analysis yielded two additional competencies related to the relational dimensions of TFL and meta-feedback practices. This paper offers an empirical contribution to the TFL research and concludes by providing practical implications for educational institutions to enhance feedback practices.

While written corrective feedback (WCF) is intended to help learners build new knowledge, student engagement with WCF is not always satisfactory, partly due to a lack of sufficient feedback literacy. Despite recent advances in understanding students’ feedback literacy and engagement with WCF, two groups have received limited attention: learners of languages other than English (LOTEs), such as Japanese, and beginners. To address this gap, this study explores feedback literacy and engagement with WCF of three beginner learners of Japanese as a foreign language (JFL). Data were collected through background questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, student essays, stimulated recall sessions, reflective accounts, classroom observations, and course documents. The findings reveal that feedback literacy is multi-faceted, emergent, and situated. Additionally, the participants drew on L1 writing experiences to address errors and used WCF to reflect on and adjust their writing processes due to their lack of writing experiences in Japanese. The students also displayed varying levels of cognitive, behavioral, and affective engagement with WCF.

Student feedback practices have been primarily discussed within a context of the particular course or unit of study. Little attention has been paid to how students navigate their feedback practices as they progress through different learning contexts and whether they apply known feedback strategies in new settings. To open exploration of this issue, case studies of five participants were studied over different courses – undergraduate, direct-entry access program and postgraduate - in order to identify how learners’ understandings of past and immediate contexts impacted their approaches to feedback. Data were collected through student artefacts which included e-portfolios completed in the direct-entry program and two interviews, approximately one year apart. Thematic analysis of the data indicated influences of learners’ feedback histories on the application of feedback in new contexts. The findings highlight the need to consider students’ past feedback experiences, as well as identify connections between courses, in order to assist students in applying feedback practices across contexts. Further research exploring how micro transitions between courses and students’ lived experiences of interacting with feedback tools and materials influence their feedback literacy is recommended.

Universities around the world are attracting students and educators from increasingly diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, which presents an exciting but complex context in which teaching and learning activities take place. An important aspect of educational practice is feedback, but there is evidence that there is often dissatisfaction among students about the feedback practices they experience. We argue that this situation is exacerbated by the lack of attention that has been paid to cultural and linguistic factors in feedback processes, particularly in highly internationalised institutions. We begin by exploring the complex concepts of culture and intercultural competence before providing an overview of some of the recent work on feedback literacy from student and teacher perspectives. We then make the case for an intercultural dimension, introducing the concept of intercultural feedback literacy. We conclude by presenting a model of how aspects of intercultural competence can enhance the practices of feedback literate students and teachers.

Addressing feedback-associated stress as a barrier to learning is increasingly relevant to student success and well-being. Mindfulness practices support stress management for students during the academic feedback process. Even if students receive high-quality feedback, the receiving end of feedback can be stressful, perhaps raising feelings of anxiety, confusion, or inadequacy. Feedback literacy and mindfulness practices complement one another. Mindfulness can potentially support feedback literacy by focusing one’s attention on the tasks needed to address feedback, instead of being distracted by emotions triggered by feedback. This study, comprised of an online survey (n = 237) and focus groups (n = 6), assesses post-secondary students’ perceptions concerning feedback literacy, mindfulness, and stress, and their thoughts about digital mindfulness tools intended to support students experiencing feedback-associated stress. Recruitment of students was from courses in Health Sciences, Medical Sciences, Media Studies, and Law. The survey data demonstrate that students with greater mindfulness have significantly greater feedback literacy as well as lower stress. Focus group data shows that a broad range of affective and behavioral responses are shaped by students’ perceptions of their abilities, circumstances, and feedback itself. Although students expressed familiarity with mindfulness practices, few considered explicitly linking mindfulness to their feedback process. Nevertheless, students expressed interest regarding the development of digital mindfulness tools to alleviate feedback-associated stress and offered recommendations for implementation.