This project will develop and pilot technology enhanced feedback approaches to facilitate teacher feedback/feedforward and peer-feedback in large first year classes to support student transition. The project will begin with an extensive review of existing experience in this area, based on literature, consultation with key innovators in other countries, and interviews with experts. It will then pilot applications of technology to enhance provision of feedback and facilitate dialogue, evaluate these interventions, and share the findings with the higher education community.
Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement (Hattie & Timperley 2007). Feedback is recognised as an important factor in supporting student transition to Higher Education and helping students understand what is required in their first year of study (Nicol 2009). Feedback is seen as crucial way to facilitate students development as independent learners who are able to monitor, evaluate, and regulate their own learning (Ferguson 2011). In particular, regular and frequent formative feedback in the early stages of first year is associated with student success (Tinto 2005, York 2005 cited in Nicol 2009). However, there is also strong evidence to show that producing feedback is more beneficial than receiving it (Nicol 2010). The ability to construct feedback, a skill that can be developed in peer review, can support the development of critical thinking skills and essential skills for employment (Sadler 2010).
However the reality, particularly in large first year cohorts, is that students may progress to the next module or next assessment before feedback is provided leaving students without an opportunity for discussion, reflection or an opportunity to apply that feedback. The Irish Survey of Student Engagement (ISSE) 2013 asked students how often they received timely written or oral feedback from teachers on academic performance with 67.4% of first year undergraduates (nationally) responding never (22.3%) or sometimes (45.1%).
Technology enhanced feedback approaches can support learning designs that may not otherwise be possible due to time, large groups, or location as well as providing more opportunities for teachers to provide ongoing feedback. They also provide for immediacy, and anytime, anywhere approaches and is suitable for use with large numbers of students (Gikandi et al 2011). However, as noted by Gilbert et al the crucial factor is not the technology but whether an improved teaching method is introduced with it (Gilbert et al 2011).
The project sets out to improve and develop feedback dialogue in first year undergraduate programmes to support student transition by using digital technologies. The project will focus specifically on two areas of feedback dialogue in first year; teacher feedback and peer review. The key output will be a Digital Feedback Guide on how to implement technology enhanced feedback approaches within first year curriculum. The Guide will include a conceptual framework for technology-enhanced feedback, a set of design approaches, recommended software tools, best practice case studies of teacher feedback and peer review approaches and guidelines for implementation.
