Student perceptions of feedback in higher education

© 2019 The authors and IJLTER.ORG. All rights reserved. Text Feedback is critical to students’ academic development in higher education. Despite this, evidence suggests that students do not consistently engage with feedback or recognise the value of it. This study explored student perceptions of feedback in one university in England. Data were collected using focus groups. The results indicated that the participants valued feedback that is detailed and personal. They also demonstrated a preference for verbal feedback rather than written feedback. Participants recognised the benefits and limitations of peer feedback and there was evidence to suggest that participants valued the judgements of their lecturers above those of their peers. The data indicate that lecturers should utilise a range of feedback modes, including face-to-face, verbal, written, audio and video feedback. The study suggests that the use of written feedback in higher education may not be effective because students may not engage effectively with it, particularly if they achieve a high grade. Taking into consideration the important role that feedback plays in promoting learning, it is vital that modes of feedback are used which students are likely to engage with. Given the fact that students have different preferences, it is therefore suggested that lecturers utilise a variety of modes of feedback. The limitation of this study was the small sample size and therefore the results are not generalisable.