Feedback in Computer Assisted Instruction
Abstract
The provision of immediate feedback is one of the strengths of computer‐assisted instruction. However, the manner of its action is far from clear, with information‐providing, reinforcing and attention‐directing theories vying to account for its effect in various learning situations. In the present study, which used an adjunct statistics‐teaching programme, feedback providing the correct answer was found to be superior to feed‐back simply saying whether the student's answer was correct or wrong; and this in turn was found to be superior to the total absence of feedback. Thus information‐providing feedback was found to be the most potent, the locus of its action being in error correction. The results also suggest that the error‐locating and error‐correcting functions of feedback can be separated with possible advantages for instruction.
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Providing the correct answer is a crucial component of feedback, more useful than feedback merely indicating whether a response is correct or incorrect.
“Research has shown that providing the correct answer is a crucial component of feedback, more useful than feedback merely indicating whether a learner's response is correct or incorrect (Roper, 1977; Fazio et al., 2010).”
From Assessing the Impact and Underlying Pathways of Sequenced AI feedback on Student Learning (2026) · cites this paper as Roper, 1977
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- Authors
- Roper, W. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Plymouth (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Roper, W. J.
- Venue
- Programmed Learning and Educational Technology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1977-02
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 43-49
- ISSN
- 0033-0396 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2045911597
- Cited by
- 71
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 8.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Programmed Learning and Educational Technology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Student Assessment and Feedback
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Intelligent Tutoring Systems and Adaptive Learning
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Keywords
- computer-assisted instruction, immediate feedback, error correction, statistics education, programmed instruction, student learning
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