Feedback Guidelines for Students
There are two types of feedback: Summative and Formative. Summative feedback tells you what mark or grade you achieved; formative feedback tells you what you did well or did not do well and how you can improve in future.
Formative feedback can come from almost anywhere and in many forms. As well as from your tutors, you can get feedback from family, friends and fellow students. Feedback might be verbal or written. In whatever form and no matter where it is from, for feedback to be useful it has to be honest and it has to change your performance for the better.
How we respond to feedback can vary a lot, whether positive or negative.
If the mark is good, the tendency is to ignore the comments. If the mark is bad, the tendency is to be too disappointed to read the comments.
HOT TIP: Use critical feedback to face up to weaknesses to be dealt with. Use positive feedback to identify strengths to build upon.
There are two principles you should consider as a student:
- feedback is 'Aligned' and
- feedback is 'Future-Focused'.
Briefly, these mean the feedback will be in synch with learning outcomes and will be aimed at improving your future assignments.
