Secondary Teachers' and Students’ Experiences of Assessment Feedback

Research Team: Kelvin Tan, Tay Hui Yong, Rachel Goh, Wong Hwei Ming, Karen Lam & Anastasiya Lipnevich

Duration: 2019 - 2021

Abstract:

Assessment drives learning, dictates teacher-student-content interactions of and for learning, and assessment feedback is arguably the most powerful and direct means for teachers to direct students’ actions in addressing (gaps) in their content (knowledge). And Assessment is an emotional experience for teachers and students. Assessment Feedback literature suggests that feedback information should be drafted in ways that is cognizant of how it may be received and acted upon by individual students. Likewise, it is important to understand how teachers and students actually experience assessment feedback practices in their context(s) before prescribing best practices and mandated feedback actions. Meta-analyses and compendiums of reviewed literature consistently conclude that feedback strongly relates to students’ learning outcomes. However, there are subtleties about how and when feedback works, in particular how and how well such feedback is received and interpreted by students, which in turn depends on how well/whether teachers understand each student’s emotional reception and response to feedback in the first place. Studies have consistently shown that students’ academic achievement should positively relate to enjoyment, hope, and pride, and negatively to anger shame, hopelessness and boredom. It was found that detailed descriptive feedback was most effective when delivered without praise or grades. Additional analyses revealed that students in graded conditions experienced higher levels of frustration and sadness, compared to those who received no grade on their performance; whereas students who were praised on their performance tended to experience higher pride, but had lower motivation to engage with feedback (Lipnevich & Smith,, 2009).

Recent MOE initiatives articulate the need to balance academic achievement with building students’ confidence and desire to learn, and even a joy for learning. Of ongoing concern in any high performing educational system (such as Singapore) is the impact of assessment on student stress and anxiety. Findings from PISA 2015 reported that 76% of Singapore students had text anxiety (as compared to the international average of 55%) (Davie, 2017. It is submitted that teachers are not immune from assessment and testing stress and anxiety as well.

In this light, this study provides teachers’ and students’ a voice in how they have experienced, and would prefer to experience, assessment feedback practices. The findings will reveal how assessment feedback information is perceived by students, as well as what they perceive of having to act on such information. A subsequent phenomenographic study of teachers and students conceptions of feedback practices identifies the variation in experiences of assessment feedback, and suggests what teachers and students can and should be aware of in assessment feedback.

To cite:

Assessment Feedback Research – Affective, Behavioural, Cognitive Responses. (2021, February).

Assessment For All Learners [Bulletin]. https://assessmentforall.blogspot.com/2021/02/feedback-affective-behavioural-cognitive-responses.html