Your feedback procedure, my inspiration: Enhancing student achievement through assessment

Abstract

Lecturers often claim that time constraints cause tension regarding feedback on students’ assessment opportunities. Assessment strategies for effective feedback procedures can lead to early identification of problem areas in student performance. Numerous students at higher education institutions (HEIs) do not complete their qualifications or take up to 6 years to complete a 3-year qualification. Situations like these may be avoided if lecturers provide informative feedback fostering self-directed learning, overall enhancing student achievement. In the quantitative, non-experimental descriptive research study reported on here, a set of questions was used to determine the following: (i) feedback procedures; (ii) feedback inspiration; and (iii) reflection on feedback. The data were collected from undergraduate and postgraduate students at a South African university. The 3 categories above revealed 3 tiers that form part of a metacognitive methodology which indicates that feedback procedures do play a role in student achievement. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on assessment and feedback as well as the implications for feedback on current practices of university lecturers and students’ future learning endeavours.