Towards broader conceptions of feedback

1. Towards broader
conceptions of feedback
Professor David Carless,
University of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong Association for Applied
Linguistics (HAAL),
November 7th 2019
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2. Overview
1. Feedback in AL vs elsewhere
2. Activating students in feedback
3. Designing effective feedback processes
4. Challenges & Implications
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3. CNEC Lee I Yao Memorial Secondary
School, Kwai Shing (1988-89)
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4. Written corrective feedback
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5. Icy Lee (2019)
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6. Major problem
Students tend to be too passively positioned
in feedback processes
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7. Key aim of feedback
To enhance student
ability to self-monitor
their work in
progress
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8. Sustainable feedback
Students seeking, generating & using
feedback from peers & self as part of self-
regulated learning (Carless et al., 2011)
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9. Information  action
(Winstone & Carless, 2019)
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10. Social constructivist
Action on feedback is constructed through
learner agency & interaction (O’Donovan,
Rust & Price, 2016).
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11. The University of Hong Kong
DISCOUNT CODE:
FLR40

13. The University of Hong Kong

14. Designing effective
feedback processes
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Chapter 2
Chapter 9 Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Designing effective
feedback processes

15. Each chapter
• Synthesis of key literature
• Two key examples from literature
• A case study based on interview data
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16. CHAPTER 8
IMPLEMENTING PEER
FEEDBACK
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17. The University of Hong Kong

18. Defining peer feedback (PF)
“A communication process through which
learners enter into dialogues related to
performance & standards” (Liu & Carless,
2006, p. 280)
Also peer response (Liu & Hansen, 2002)
Peer review (Harland et al., 2017)
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19. Main challenges
• Students don’t take it seriously
• Poor quality PF
• Students prefer teacher feedback
• Classmates may steal ideas
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20. Composing peer feedback
Providing feedback more cognitively engaging
than receiving feedback (e.g. Nicol et al., 2014)
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21. The University of Hong Kong

22. To give is better than to receive
Students taught to give PF, improved writing
more than students taught to use PF
Explanation: You review in your own ZPD
but may not receive in your ZPD
(Lundstrom & Baker, 2009)
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23. Cumulative peer feedback
Need for multiple cumulative experiences of
peer review during a programme
(Harland et al., 2017).
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3

24. Professor Hui-Tzu Min,
National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
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25. Training for PF
Used sample essay to model feedback
Implemented two cycles of PF
Coached students in improving PF
(see also Min, 2006)
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26. 4 step training procedure
Peer feedback as:
1. Clarifying the writer’s intention
2. Identifying potential problems
3. Explaining the nature of the problems
4. Making specific suggestions
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27. Design features
Student writing: same genre, different topics
Randomly assigned trios
Written feedback + oral dialogue
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28. Positive outcomes
Students appreciated & used peer feedback
Students got better at giving peer feedback
Lower achievers benefitted significantly
(Winstone & Carless, 2019, chapter 8)
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29. COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
RELATED TO PEER FEEDBACK
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30. ENABLING DIALOGUE IN
FEEDBACK PROCESSES
(CHAPTER 6)
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31. Dialogic feedback
Feedback needs to generate practical forms
of dialogue
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32. The University of Hong Kong
Interactive coversheet (Chapter 6)
Invite students to state what feedback they
want (Bloxham & Campbell, 2010)

33. Variation 1
Students complete the following prompt:
“I would most like feedback on ….”
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34. Variation 2
“The previous feedback that I have used to
strengthen this assignment is ….”
(Barton et al. 2016)
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35. ELT Variation A
Students complete the following prompt:
“The grammar item I would like to receive
focused corrective feedback on is …”
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36. ELT Variation B
“I would most like to receive feedback on”
(choose one):
grammar accuracy;
content and ideas;
other (pls specify)
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37. TEACHER & STUDENT
FEEDBACK LITERACY
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38. Feedback literacy
Know-how about how to maximise the
benefits of feedback processes
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39. Shared responsibilities
Shared responsibilities in designing & acting
on feedback (Nash & Winstone, 2017)
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41. Student feedback literacy
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Making
Judgments
Appreciating
Feedback
Managing
Affect
Taking Action
(Carless & Boud, 2018)

42. Conclusion
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43. Broader conceptions of feedback
Beyond teacher telling to highlight:
• Peer feedback
• Student self-evaluation
• Student feedback seeking
• Dialogic interaction
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44. Recommendations
Minimise teacher telling
Focus on students’ needs & interests
Involve students actively
Mutual development of feedback literacy
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45. References
Barton, K. L., Schofield, S. J., McAleer, S., & Ajjawi, R. (2016). Translating evidence-based guidelines to improve
feedback practices: The interact case study. BMC Medical Education, 16(1). doi:10.1186/s12909-016-0562-z
Bloxham, S. & Campbell. L. (2010). Generating dialogue in assessment feedback: Exploring the use of interactive cover
sheets. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(3), 291-300.
Carless, D. & Boud, D. (2018). The development of student feedback literacy: Enabling uptake of feedback.
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1463354
Carless, D., Salter, D., Yang, M. & Lam, J. (2011). Developing sustainable feedback practices. Studies in Higher
Education, 36(4), 395-407.
Harland, T., Wald, N., & Randhawa, H. (2017). Student peer review: Enhancing formative feedback with a rebuttal.
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 42(5), 801-811.
Liu, J., & Hansen, J. G. (2002). Peer response in second language writing classrooms. Michigan: University of Michigan
Press.
Lundstrom, K., & Baker, K. (2009). To give is better than to receive: The benefits of peer review to the reviewer’s own
writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 18(1), 30-43.
Min, H.-T. (2006). The Effects of Trained Peer Review on EFL Students’ Revision Types and Writing Quality. Journal of
Second Language Writing 15 (2): 118-141.
Nash, R., & Winstone, N. (2017). Responsibility-sharing in the giving and receiving of assessment feedback. Frontiers
in Psychology, 8, 1519. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01519
Nicol, D., Thomson, A., & Breslin, C. (2014). Rethinking feedback practices in higher education: A peer review
perspective. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 39(1), 102-122.
O’Donovan, B., Rust, C., & Price, M. (2016). A scholarly approach to solving the feedback dilemma in practice.
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(6), 938–949.
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46. QUESTIONS
COMMENTS
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48. Key Rationales for PF
Involve students in dialogue
around the quality of work
Inform student self-evaluation
Potentially timely &
sustainable
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50. Peer feedback trios
Peer feedback trios facilitate composing and
receiving more than one peer review
(van den Berg, Admiraal & Pilot, 2006)
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51. Grading peer feedback
Grading student peer reviews enhances
student motivation & accountability
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52. ICS Variation
1. The strengths are …
2. The aspects for development are …
3. I would like feedback on …
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