Delivering Effective Student Feedback in Higher Education: An Evaluation of the Challenges and Best Practice

Abstract

Effective student feedback can have a significant influence on student motivation, learning and performance. However, feedback practices can be difficult to implement, thereby inhibiting the potential of feedback for student learning. Despite numerous attempts to improve the quality of feedback and student feedback literacy, difficulties persist, including disparate perceptions and expectations between teachers and students, while consistency, effectiveness and timeliness are often cited as areas requiring improvement. This review evaluates the key challenges faced by tutors in delivering student feedback and examines several approaches to delivering more effective student feedback. These include the principle of feedforward, a modified praise, question and revise (PQR) system referred to as the WWW system, directive versus facilitative feedback, dialogue as feedback, peer review, formative versus summative, constructive alignment and the use of digital and AI technologies. These approaches are evaluated in the context of effective feedback processes that influence student motivation, engagement, self-reflective learning and performance. These feedback approaches are further discussed in relation to the challenges faced by teachers and students in contemporary higher education, highlighting areas where further research may be needed.