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Feedback Policy

This policy outlines what is appropriate provision of feedback. Appropriate feedback shall be provided to students in such a way as to promote learning and facilitate improvement.

Appropriate Feedback

Appropriate feedback is achieved by:

  1. Clearly stating the nature and extent of feedback the students can expect in relation to particular assessments.
  2. Providing timely feedback to students.
  3. Providing feedback to students in the form of oral (individual or group) or written feedback.

Forms of Feedback

Feedback on student’s learning may take several forms.  It may constitute:

  1. Informal comments from tutors and staff members to commend or correct the student’s learning
  2. Grades provided on assessment tasks, which may be formative[1]  or summative[2]. 
  3. Written comments on written assessment items.

Effective Feedback

For feedback to be effective it must be:

  1. timely (within 4 weeks); and
  2. it must be delivered in such a way that it:
    • is informative - clearly identifying the areas of strength and weakness.
    • explicitly states how the student can improve their performance.
    • aims to motivate the student to improve their learning, e.g. areas for improvement should be pointed out in a constructive and helpful manner.

Related documents

University Assessment of Coursework Procedures

Faculty Feedback Procedures

[1] Formative assessment: The purpose of formative assessment is to provide students with feedback on their progress in learning. Formative assessment can reinforce successful learning and, equally importantly, it can also provide the student with an opportunity to expose and identify the limitation of their knowledge and learning without penalty. 

[2] Assessment may be formative or summative.  Summative assessment is that which certifies the attainment of a standard.  It is used to measure the competence of, or to arrange students in a rank order of merit.

Approval

Faculty Undergraduate Education Committee 6/2007

Postgraduate Coursework Degrees Committee 1/08

Faculty Board 1/08