1. My puzzle: “Why is it a
challenge to obtain meaningful
student feedback and
evaluations of the learning
experience?”
Chris Banister
English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
Lecturer
Regent’s University London
Contact: banisterc@regents.ac.uk

2. Overview
 Teaching, learning and research context
 Considerations in learner feedback and evaluations
 Approaching the puzzle: A PEPA in action
 Enhanced understanding and improvements to
classroom quality of life
 Challenges of EP
 Benefits and transformations of EP

3. Puzzle context and origins
 Learners: Undergraduate exchange students, Upper Int (ENG5A1),
Advanced (6A1)
 Module: 3 hrs p/w, student-led components, blended aspects.
 Puzzle origins: modular format, limited contact hours, stuffed
syllabus + limitations of formal instruments = reduce opportunity for
informal feedback and evaluations = disconnect
 To shed light on: materials, activities, methodology, pacing,
interaction = the totality of the learners’ experience (Mortiboys 2010)
 Aim: delve deeper beyond the averages of official surveys, obtain
feedback for the teacher but not necessarily about the teacher

4. Considerations:
 Establish purpose (Williams and Brennan 2004) and red
lines
 Survey fatigue,duplication,ritualisation (Williams and
Brennan 2004)
 Psychological: power assymetry (Richardson 2005; cf.
Clayson and Haley 2011
 Interpretation: tendency to “filter information” (Mortiboys
2010:125) anonymity v actionability trade-off
 Importance of feedback to learners (Williams and
Brennan 2004) “It’s more important for me to feel that my
feedback is useful and they implement changes.” (ENG
6A1 student, spring 2016)

5. Approaching the puzzle
Research tools
 Lesson videos
 Peer observations
 Discussions with other LTR members/project leader
 PEPAs (Allwright and Hanks 2009; Hanks 2015):
surveys, discussions, reflective writing

6. PEPA: Review Collage

7. Setting up the activity
• Explain learners are
going to reflect upon,
evaluate and review
aspects of the module.
• Show learners the
handout as a class and
ask if they recall most of
the activities.

8. Review Collage and Questions
Discussion Questions Handout
• Which language skills were you
developing when you did this
and how?
• Do you think that this activity
helped you or not? Why/not?
• How do you think you performed
when working on this activity?
• Did you enjoy this activity?
• Would you rather have done it
differently? If so, how and why?
• What advice would you give to
another student doing this
activity next semester?

9. Review Collage: Procedure
Report back to the class on the one which
provoked most discussion/interest.
Tell students to choose two activities each and to
write their reflections and evaluations.

10. Why use the Review Collage?
 Multi-faceted: review, revise, reflect, evaluate.
 Locally relevant
 In-class and blended components
 Adaptable: mid-module or end of module
 Minimal preparation (digital/paper materials)
 Obtain learner perspectives in their own words, could
resonate for future cohorts.

11. Learner feedback and
evaluations
Transferable
skills/knowledge Peer participation
The topics and materials …
which benefit me in listening
[to] lectures given by the
lecturer of Financial Risk
Management…the skills of
presentations and report helped
me in giving another two
presentations” (ENG 6A1
student, autumn 2014)
“Discussion Board: My focus
was to increase my speed in
writing English… This activity
could be improved if
participants were more
motivated.” (ENG 6A1 student
Spring 2015)

12. Learner feedback and evaluations
Difficulty Ambiguity
If we don’t have the
final time limited
writing, I’ll like this
course more.” (ENG
5A1 student, autumn
2014)
“It is not a criticism it is
just a suggest is give to
the students more
technical
argument.”(ENG 6A1
student, spring 2015)

13. Learner feedback and evaluations
• Areas for development
“Maybe you could have
included more practical
examples of how to do
a report or an essay.”
(ENG 6A1 student,
autumn 2014)
My personal expectations
the first day were more
focusing on vocabulary
such as: merger, asset,
liability…etc. (ENG 6A1
student, autumn 2014)

14. Enhanced understanding
1. Mismatch between some learners’ expectations of the
modules and the stated aim of the modules
 Clarification of module aims
2. Desire for greater clarity re: written assessment
requirements
 Introduction of exemplars
3. Need for a boost in the vocabulary component
 Incorporation of explicit vocabulary learning strategies
(e.g. vocab cards) with business vocabulary highlighted
in language feedback slots
4. Lack of engagement=a contagion
 Stricter guidelines for contributions to online discussion
boards

15. Improvements to quality of life in
the classroom
Reconnecting to and in dialogue with my learners
“I have learnt many new and useful business words.”
“The vocabulary card quiz’s. It makes you be ready and
updated.”
(end of module student feedback Dec 2015)

16. Benefits of focusing on
obtaining feedback and
evaluations from learners
 Facilitates development of the reflective skill in both
learners and teachers
 Provides mutual access (teacher-learner) for greater
understanding: learner’s voice
 Cultivates a learning environment with a shared space
for ongoing dialogue
 Complements but does not duplicate official university
instruments for obtaining student feedback and
evaluations- an additional and potentially rich pool of
data
 Likely to foreground further new puzzles to explore

17. A challenging new landscape (Hanks
2015)
 Identity and overlapping roles: teacher, teacher-
researcher
 Identification of a suitable puzzle
 Clarifying the terminology, methodology and
principles of EP (e.g. puzzles v problems)
 Learners as partners: potential value of “learner
agency (and) perspectives” (Rowland 2011:261)
 Integration of research activities (PEPAs) into
everyday classroom processes
 Dissemination and making public understanding

18. Conclusion: benefits and
transformations of EP
 Transformative for the teaching-research
relationship. Classroom events become a “legitimate
source of research knowledge about teaching and
learning” (Borg 2010:418)
 Brings teachers and learners together by
foregrounding improvements to classroom quality of life
and enabling creativity (Hanks 2016)
 CPD benefits: confidence to give papers, workshops,
submit articles, access to research/teacher research
communities of practice
 Helps cultivate quality in teaching by boosting teacher
self-efficacy (Wyatt and Dikilitas 2015) and staff
satisfaction with their practice in a “collegially supportive
environment” (Slimani-Rolls and Kiely 2014:433)

19. Thank you and questions
 Thank you very much for listening.
 Feel free to get in touch: banisterc@regents.ac.uk
?

20. References
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 Williams, R. and Brennan, J. (2004) 'Collecting and using student feedback: A guide to good practice.' Open Research
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