What feedback do Political Science Students Want?

Lessons from a British perspective

Alasdair Blair

ablair@dmu.ac.uk

Paper presented at the American Political Studies Association Teaching and Learning Conference, Washington

DC, 17th-19th February, 2012

Context of change

• Professionalisation – ILTHE/HEA

• Student voice – NSS

• Gov’t involvement - QAA

Value of Feedback• Clarifies good performance• Facilitates reflective learning• Students get info about their learning• Encourages peer dialogue• encourages positive motivation• Close gap between current and desired

performance• Provides information to shape teaching

I receive written feedback on my assignments

I receive written feedback on my examination scripts

Written feedback helps my learning

Tutors expect me to use feedback to improve

I receive verbal feedback on my assignments

I receive verbal feedback on my examination scripts

I have tutorials to discuss my assignment feedback

I receive feedback via audio files

I receive feedback via email

Aware of the timescale for providing feedback?

Opportunity to be involved in peer assessment

Findings

• What is feedback?

• What type of feedback is helpful?

• What type of feedback is unhelpful?

• The amount of feedback provided

• The timeliness of feedback

• Areas where feedback can be improved

What do students regard feedback to be?

• Written feedback

• Verbal feedback

What type of feedback is helpful?

• I prefer written feedback as I will then be able to look back over it when writing my next assignment to see what I can improve.

• Verbal - able to question and gain further understanding to make sure it is constructive.

What type of feedback is unhelpful?

• unreadable writings written on my essay.

• Overly critical

• Queuing tutorials

• Production line feedback

The amount of feedback provided

• No exam feedback!

The timeliness of feedback

• the feedback timescale referred to is largely redundant at present

• late! too late.

Areas where feedback can be improved

• Upload feedback on blackboard

• Given in an email

• Shortly as possible after the assignment

• Longer office hours

• It should be automatic

Conclusion

• Timely

• Readable

• Constructive

• Accessible

• Consistent

• Dialogic

• Developmental