Learners seeking, generating and using feedback inputs: The role of student and teacher feedback literacies

1. Learners seeking, generating and using
feedback inputs: The role of student
and teacher feedback literacies
David Carless, University of
Hong Kong,
@CarlessDavid
NTU Singapore, April 8, 2022
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2. Overview
• Feedback literacy
• Meanings of feedback
• Designing for satisfying feedback
• Digital possibilities
• Implications for practice
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3. Connected feedback literacy
Capacities needed by teachers & students
to make the most of feedback opportunities
of different forms.
(Carless & Winstone, 2020; Deneen & Hoo,
2021)
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4. CONCEPTUALIZING
FEEDBACK PROCESSES
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5. New paradigm feedback
From teachers delivering comments
To what learners do: feedback seeking;
self-generated feedback; taking action
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6. Comments  uptake
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Teachers produce comments
Focus on delivery
Students produce comments
Focus on uptake
(Carless, 2015; Winstone & Carless, 2019)

7. Teacher role
Design learning environments for students
to generate feedback
(Boud & Molloy, 2013a)
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8. Specialist definition of feedback
Processes through which learners generate
performance-relevant information and use it
for enhancement
(After Boud & Molloy, 2013a; Carless, 2015;
Henderson et al. 2019; & influenced by
Nicol, 2021)
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9. Dictionary definition of feedback
Comments about how well or badly someone is
doing something, which are intended to help
them do it better (Macmillan)
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10. Theory vs practice
Literature moved forward in understanding
feedback – but not clear those involved are
brought along with it
(Dawson et al. 2019)
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11. PROBLEMS THAT FEEDBACK
LITERACY MIGHT ADDRESS
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12. Selected feedback challenges
End-loaded assessment
Too much unidirectional teacher feedback
Human nature: Emotions & affect
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13. Student frustrations
Feedback often comes at the end, too late
for students to act (structural problem)
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I want
guidance

14. Feedback as telling is overrated
“Learners do not always
learn much purely from
being told, even when they
are told repeatedly in the
kindest possible way”
(Sadler, 2015, p. 16)
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15. Deploy teacher workload wisely
Reduce teacher commentary at times when
it cannot be taken up
(Boud & Molloy, 2013b)
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16. Feedback graveyards
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17. THREE PRACTICAL
STRATEGIES
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18. 1. Feedback sequences
Task 1  feedback  interlinked task 2
Position students as feedback users
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19. Towards virtuous cycles
Teachers designing potentially positive
feedback experiences for students
Students engaging and acting
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20. 2. Feedback requests
On their assignment or draft, students
complete the following prompt:
“I would most like feedback on ….”
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21. Reflective feedback requests
1. The strengths are …
2. The aspects for development are …
3. I would like feedback on …
(Winstone & Carless, 2019)
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22. Feedback seeking strategies
Direct inquiry: requesting advice
Indirect inquiry e.g. starting a conversation
with the teacher; or asking peers
Monitoring: observing cues in the learning
environment
(Joughin et al., 2021)
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23. 3. Use of exemplars
Need to avoid ‘model answer syndrome’
Students analyze several exemplars of
different levels (Carless & Chan, 2017)
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24. Exemplars sequence
Students draft attempt at task
Exemplars = feedback
Students revise draft
(Lipnevich et al. 2014; To, Panadero &
Carless, 2021)
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25. Exemplars as proxies for feedback
High quality exemplars act as inputs which
stimulate students’ internal feedback
(Carless, 2020)
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26. DIGITAL FEEDBACK DESIGNS
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27. Digital feedback options
• Audio feedback
• Video feedback
• Screencasting
• Other ….
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28. Digital peer feedback
Peer feedback using Screencasting &
Google docs
Opportunities to clarify peer feedback and
co-construct opportunities to use it
(Wood, 2021).
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29. The University of Hong Kong

30. Audio peer feedback
Feeling personally committed
Understanding own learning processes
Comparing own work with that of peers
(Filius et al., 2019)
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31. (Carless & Winstone, 2020)
Teacher Feedback Literacy
Student Feedback Literacy
Values feedback
Refines evaluative judgments
Work with emotions productively
Acts in response to feedback
Designing for uptake
Relational sensitivities
Managing practicalities

32. Key challenges
Regulations & procedures inhibit agency in
feedback processes (Gravett 2020)
AND
How feedback is framed in QA encourages
delivery models (Winstone & Carless, 2021;
Winstone et al. 2021)
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33. SUMMARY &
IMPLICATIONS
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34. Feedback designs
Shift from provision of comments to design
of learning environments
(Boud & Molloy, 2013a)
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35. Digital pedagogy
Prioritizing learner generation of insights
Designing for dialogue & uptake
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36. 5 propositions
1. Reduce detailed comments at end
2. Design guidance during the course
3. Involve students actively
4. Design for uptake
5. Pedagogically-informed digital strategies
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37. Areas for further research
Developing feedback literacy together
Less can be more
Designing satisfying feedback experiences
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38. References
Boud, D., & Molloy, E. (2013a). Rethinking models of feedback for learning: The challenge of design.
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38(6), 698-712.
Boud, D., & Molloy, E. (2013b). Decision-making for feedback. In D. Boud & E. Molloy (Eds.), Feedback in
Higher and Professional Education. London: Routledge.
Carless, D. (2020). From teacher transmission of information to student feedback literacy: Activating the
learner role in feedback processes. Active Learning in Higher Education.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787420945845
Carless, D., & Boud, D. (2018). The development of student feedback literacy: Enabling uptake of feedback.
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1463354.
Carless, D. & K.K.H. Chan (2017). Managing dialogic use of exemplars. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher
Education, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2016.1211246
Carless, D., & Winstone, N. (2020). Teacher feedback literacy and its interplay with student feedback literacy,
Teaching in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1782372
Dawson, P., et al. (2019). What makes for effective feedback: Staff and student perspectives. Assessment &
Evaluation in Higher Education, 44(1), 25-36.
Deneen, C. & H.T. Hoo (2021): Connecting teacher and student assessment literacy with self-evaluation and
peer feedback, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education.
Gravett, K. (2020). Feedback literacies as sociomaterial practice. Critical Studies in Education. doi:
10.1080/17508487.2020.1747099
Henderson, M., Molloy, E., Ajjawi, R., & Boud, D. (2019). Designing feedback for impact. In Henderson, M.,
Ajjawi, R., Boud, D., and Molloy, E. (eds.) The impact of feedback in higher education. Basingstoke:
Palgrave Macmillan.
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39. References (continued)
Joughin, G., Boud, D., Dawson, P., & Tai, J. (2021). What can higher education learn from feedback seeking
behaviour in organisations? Implications for feedback literacy. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher
Education, 46(1), 80–91. doi:10.1080/02602938.2020.1733491
Lipnevich, A., L. McCallen, K. Miles, & J. Smith. (2014). Mind the Gap! Students' Use of Exemplars and
Detailed Rubrics as Formative Assessment. Instructional Science 42(4): 539-559.
Nicol, D. (2021). The power of internal feedback: Exploiting natural comparison processes. Assessment and
Evaluation in Higher Education, 46(5), 756–778.
Sadler, D.R. (2015). Backwards assessment explanations: Implications for teaching and assessment practice.
In D. Lebler et al. (Eds.), Assessment in music education: From policy to practice (pp.9-19). Cham:
Springer.
To, J., Panadero, E. & Carless, D. (2021). A systematic review of the educational uses and effects of
exemplars. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education,
https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2021.2011134
Winstone, N., Ajjawi, R., Dirkx, K., & Boud, D. (2021). Measuring what matters: The positioning of students in
feedback processes within national student satisfaction surveys. Studies in Higher Education.
doi:10.1080/03075079.2021.1916909
Winstone, N., & Carless, D. (2021). Who is feedback for? The influence of accountability and quality
assurance agendas on the enactment of feedback processes. Assessment in Education, 28(3), 261-278.
doi:10.1080/0969594X.2021.1926221
Wood, J. (2021). Making peer feedback work: The contribution of technology-mediated dialogic peer feedback
to feedback uptake and literacy. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education.
doi:10.1080/02602938.2021.1914544
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40. THANK YOU
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41. Implementing peer feedback
• Selling benefits
• Scaffolding, modelling & coaching
• Trios rather than pairs (multiple reviews)
• Opportunities for dialogue then revision
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42. Shifts in priorities
Carless (2015) p. 240
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Increase Decrease
Guidance within the taught
curriculum
Unidirectional comments at
end
Feedback comments on first
assessment task of module
Feedback comments on final
task of module
Feedback for first year
students
Feedback for final year
students

44. The University of Hong Kong
20% OFF DURING
APRIL 2022

45. Defining student feedback literacy
Understandings, capacities & dispositions
needed to use feedback for improvement
(Carless & Boud, 2018).
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46. Student feedback literacy
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Making
Judgments
Valuing
Feedback
Working
with
Emotions
Taking Action
(Carless & Boud, 2018)

47. Defining teacher feedback literacy
“Knowledge, expertise & dispositions to
design feedback processes in ways which
enable student uptake of feedback”
(Carless & Winstone, 2020, p. 4)
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48. The University of Hong Kong