Effectiveness of feedback: the students’ perspective
Abstract
While effective feedback has frequently been identified as a key strategy in learning and teaching, little known research has focused on students’ perceptions of feedback and the contribution feedback makes to students’ learning and teaching. This reported qualitative study aims to enrich our understanding of these perceptions and importantly to provide insight into the meaning of ‘effective’ when related to feedback. The study involved four focus groups of undergraduate students of varying levels and from a range of Schools completing degrees in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney. Students’ perceptions relating to a definition of feedback, how they use it and preferences for delivery were prompted by the facilitators. Thematic analysis resulted in three key dimensions: perceptions of feedback, impact of feedback and credibility of feedback. The analysis demonstrated that effectiveness of feedback extends beyond mode of delivery and timeliness to include the credibility of the lecturer giving the feedback. The role of effective feedback includes not only enhancing learning and teaching but also facilitating the transition between school and university.
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Providing detailed feedback regularly is laborious and time-consuming, adding to educators' workloads.
“Providing detailed feedback regularly is laborious and time-consuming, adding to educators' workloads, especially since students perceive timely feedback as the most effective [37].”
From Promises and challenges of generative artificial intelligence for human learning (2024) · cites this paper as [37]
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“Providing detailed feedback regularly is laborious and time consuming, adding to educators’ workloads, especially as students perceive timely feedback as the most effective 37 .”
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- Authors
- Poulos, A., & Mahony, M. J.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Poulos, Ann
- Venue
- Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2008-03-03
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 143-154
- ISSN
- 0260-2938 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-297X
- OpenAlex
- W2042363242
- Cited by
- 544
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 49 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 34 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 68.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Student Assessment and Feedback
- Social Sciences › Education › Evaluation of Teaching Practices
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Communication in Education and Healthcare
- Keywords
- feedback effectiveness, student perceptions of feedback, feedback delivery, feedback timeliness, undergraduate students, health sciences education, transition to college, learning and teaching
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