The DOI matches its Crossref record; 31 of the 31 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Feedback loops and the longer-term: towards feedback spirals
Open accessAbstract
A key challenge for feedback practice involves promoting student uptake through the closing of feedback loops. This paper investigates feedback loops by using the concepts of single and double-loop learning to interrogate student responses to feedback. Single-loop learning tackles an identified problem or task, whereas double-loop learning additionally re-evaluates how the problem or task is approached. Evidence from a five-year longitudinal enquiry into four undergraduate students’ experiences of feedback is used to analyse feedback loops. Students reported a variety of experiences: failing to engage significantly with end-of-semester comments; short-term uptake within modules which had two assignments; and longer-term efforts at improving their learning strategies. A model of long-term student engagement with feedback is proposed, including single-loop feedback processes, double-loop feedback processes and unresolved learning puzzles. Whereas feedback loops are mainly focused on the shorter-term, it is suggested that feedback spirals represent an alternative way of analysing complex, iterative longer-term learning processes. Implications for practice focus on student self-regulation and the development of student feedback literacy.
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“e concept of feedback loops is discussed which shows a trajectory of how students engage themselves in the feedback process, reflect and make ongoing adjustments during their learning process to enhance learning strategies [78].”
From Artificial Intelligence for Assessment and Feedback to Enhance Student Success in Higher Education (2022) · cites this paper as [78]
Citations
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“Their preferences resonate with the position of Boud and Molloy (2013) that feedback should be designed so that there are opportunities for feedback loops to be closed.”
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“…& Simpson, 2004), to a socio-constructivist model that incorporates an assessment for learning framework (Wiliam, 2011), emphasising learning as an iterative and developmental process and entailing a two-way dialogue between the lecturer and the student (Carless et al., 2011; Carless, 2016, 2019).”
InfluentialWiggins, B. L., Wingert, K., & Crowther, G. J. (2026) · Science Education · doi:10.1002/sce.70082
An LLM Enabled Educational Platform with Feedback Loops to Enhance Learning
Anand, S., Arjun, U., & Rao, S. N. (2026) · International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Social Networking (ICPCSN) · doi:10.1109/icpcsn68523.2026.11543920
“Hence, a dynamic and interactive feedback process is essential, as one-way transmission of feed-back does not allow students to respond to the guidance they receive [6].”
Ghanaian Mathematics Teachers’ Planning and Implementation of AfL Practices: A Mixed Method Approach
Nsowah, F. A., Oates, G., Yeboah, E., Adda, S., Addai, C., & Osei, R. D. (2026) · European Journal of Mathematics and Science Education · doi:10.12973/ejmse.7.2.151
Sukmojati, E., Ariawan, S., Viana, S. A., Deta, A. Y., Lete, O. R. D., Ruron, M. Y., Tafana, P. D., Koto, R., Muliati, M., Chika, S., et al. (2026) · F1000Research · doi:10.12688/f1000research.183327.1
Qi, Y., Sun, D., & Zhan, Y. (2026) · Interactive Learning Environments · doi:10.1080/10494820.2026.2693957
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Ye, J., Zhang, L. J., & Dixon, H. R. (2026) · Assessing Writing · doi:10.1016/j.asw.2026.101096
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Feedback in STEM Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review
Pirzada, P., Chen, Y., & Chai, K. K. (2026) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci16081205
Qiao, S., Nie, Y., Niu, F., He, Z., & Chen, L. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1902647 · Cited by 1
“This sequential assumption is consistent with the broader literature on behavioral change (Vygotsky, 1987; Carless, 2019) as well as the specific context of teacher professional learning.”
Ma, X., Wang, D., & Chen, G. (2026) · The Journal of Educational Research · doi:10.1080/00220671.2026.2710208
Wang, Y., & Zhong, M. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-10410268/v1
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Tsay, C. H., Getti, G. T. M., Quan, L., & Van, M. (2026) · International Journal of Inclusive Education · doi:10.1080/13603116.2026.2722286
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Hou, S., & Chai, C. (2025) · International Symposium on Computational Intelligence and Design · doi:10.1109/iscid68789.2025.00020
“Based on preset professional scoring criteria, the system provides scores and multi-dimensional textual feedback on the user’s created content [14].”
Court, A., Francis, N., Shore, A. M., & Rutherford, S. (2026) · FEBS Open Bio · doi:10.1002/2211-5463.70339
“Research indicates that learners are more engaged when they receive positive commentary [40 – 42], aligning with the findings that perceptions of care and self-efficacy greatly impact how students engage with feed-back [43].”
Artificial Intelligence in Literacy Education: Use Cases in Years 3–6
Moore, S., & Blaxell, R. (2026) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/978-1-80686-243-620261005
Trade-offs in assessment and feedback design: a trilemma-based model
Pedlow, M., Fischer, J., & Williams, A. (2026) · Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education · doi:10.1080/02602938.2026.2734350
Vitsou, M., & Σιάτρας, Α. (2026) · European Journal of Education & Language Review · doi:10.20897/ejelr/19338
“Assessment, therefore, is not limited to the final outcome, but is developed as a spiral of feedback, in which the comments and insights of one phase are used to reshape the following phases (Carless, 2019).”
InfluentialAn Ongoing Journey of Digital Feedback Literacy Development
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Talaat, W., Wasfy, N. F., & Abouzeid, E. (2026) · BMC Medical Education · doi:10.1186/s12909-026-10345-0
“In EFPE, feedback serves as a developmental process in which learners use comments to improve future performance and learning strategies, thereby strengthening both short-term achievement and professional growth [16, 17].”
Dialoguing with Hattie&TimperlAI: a Research Based AI-Feedback Coach for Math Teacher Training
Funghi, S., Valentini, M., Zozzo, A. D., & Montresor, A. (2026) · Communications in computer and information science · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-31850-3_22
Thâm, T. C., Chang, C.-Y., Lê, V. N., & Nguyen, T. N. P. (2026) · Journal of Geography in Higher Education · doi:10.1080/03098265.2026.2743849
Feedback patterns in practice: Sense‐making as the deal‐breaker
de Kleijn, R. A. M. (2026) · Medical Education · doi:10.1111/medu.70342
Responsive pedagogy in higher education block delivery: a collaborative autoethnography
Muscat, A., Toledo, S. V., Marland, B., & Gaul-Mckee, S. (2026) · Pedagogy Culture and Society · doi:10.1080/14681366.2026.2747905
Fırtın, C. E. (2026) · Teaching Public Administration · doi:10.1177/01447394261502438
Metadata
- Authors
- Carless, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Corresponding author
- Carless, David
- ORCID
- Carless, David
- Venue
- Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2018-11-14
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 705-714
- ISSN
- 0260-2938 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-297X
- OpenAlex
- W2901943084
- Cited by
- 328
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 56 · 2025: 46 · 2024: 55 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 15
- FWCI
- 62.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Student Assessment and Feedback
- Social Sciences › Education › Evaluation of Teaching Practices
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Practises and Engagement
- Keywords
- feedback loops, single-loop learning, double-loop learning, student engagement with feedback, student self-regulation, feedback literacy, learning strategies, undergraduate students
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