How to Improve the Efficacy of Student Feedback

Feedback processes are intricate, generally misunderstood, hard to execute efficiently, and often fail in their goals to influence students learning. Research highlights that students usually do not value the benefits of feedback. This paper reviews the literature on the definition, purpose, and models of feedback; and on exploring why some students do not value feedback, what factors are influencing the effectiveness of feedback, and how to improve the efficacy of feedback.

The relevant articles were searched through 'Google Scholar,' 'CINAHIL' and 'PubMed' using the key terms- "Student feedback," "Frameworks of feedback," "Barriers to effective feedback," and "Students' perspectives on feedback." The search criteria included: review and original research articles in the English language published in high-impact journals in the past ten years.

The results of different studies have illuminated diverse factors demanding the attention of educators to the effectiveness of feedback. Personal, relational, procedural, and environmental factors seem to affect the utility of feedback. To be effective, feedback should be actionable, non-judgmental, descriptive and specific, based on observable behavior, and should be given at a mutually agreeable time and place.

The efficacy of feedback can be enhanced by creating students' feedback literacy, addressing students' perceptions and expectations, encouraging productive educational alliances, improving procedural elements of feedback, and environmental conditions.