"Feeding back and looking forward” Research about the development of academic skills and the use of feedback Jim Crawley Institute for Education, Bath Spa University 12 April 2019
Feeding back and looking forward Origins and Aims Why do undergraduate students arrive at university with low academic skills? How do we support them in developing those skills? How do students access and make use of feedback? The results of the study will help to improve the support for developing academic skills and the quality, accessibility and use by students of feedback.
Feeding back and looking forward Information given to the learner and/or the teacher about the learner’s performance relative to learning goals. It should aim towards … improvement in students’ learning. It can come from a teacher or someone taking a teaching role, or from peers. Feedback studies tend to show very high effects on learning. However… some studies show that feedback can have negative effects and make things worse. Education Endowment Foundation (2018)
Feeding back and looking forward Academic Literacy “High levels of academic literacy can significantly improve students' success in their university study. ” Smith, S.P., Hickmott, D., Bille, R., Burd, E., Southgate, E. and Stephens, L. (2015)
Feeding back and looking forward Methodology Online questionnaire with Google forms Questions about 'academic skills' (e.g. academic writing; researching and finding academically credible sources; extracting meaning from academic texts and articles; Harvard Referencing) Questions about how, when and where students access and make use of feedback.
Feeding back and looking forward Results Target group - Yr1, 2 and 3 Education undergraduates Yr 1 210; Yr 2 237; Yr 3 220 – Total 667 Responses – 94 (14% of all) 83 (89.2%) female; 11 (10.8%) male Yr1 51 (55% of total responses, 24% of yr1 target group) Yr2 26 (28% of total responses, 11% of yr2 target group) Yr 2 16 (17%) of total responses, 7% of yr3 target group Age 72 (77.4%) 18-21; 21 (22.6%) 22-40, 41-60, 60 plus (none) All education as main subject– some joint honours
Feeding back and looking forward
Feeding back and looking forward Comments Why do you think this was the case? “Weren't taught some of these skills at Sixth form so was unknown at university” “Was very unaware of the leap within academic ability between A-Level and university, plus the fact I had been out of full time education for 2 years before starting” “I found Harvard referring confusing, and with some on the modules I was on I didn't quite grasp the meaning of some articles I was told to read. I feel as though some of them were too complex”
Feeding back and looking forward
Feeding back and looking forward Comments Why do you think this is the case? “Since University i have been given more opportunity to use books, journals, dictionaries and articles to go alongside the internet resources. Because of this, i have now better skill at referencing and making an argument based on all perspectives I've read about.” “Help from tutors on how to structure essays better and feedback given on work has helped me to understand how to achieve higher marks”
Feeding back and looking forward
Feeding back and looking forward Suggestions for improving feedback “providing some lectures on the things that people tend to miss out of assignments, get wrong, or need to include for the higher marks especially is a very good use of time” “more feedback being given on a one-on-one basis. Though it is understandable that this may not be possible” “Giving useful tips and techniques on how to improve on the work next time. Useful readings you could do to give you more understanding on parts you did not fully understand and expand on. “ “More verbal feedback”
Feeding back and looking forward A conversation – 5 minutes Do your new students have problems with academic skills when they start with you, and why do you think this is the case? Can you think of ways the transition of new students into HE could be eased?