Dialogic feed-forward assessment: Re-energising the undergraduate essay

Hill, Jennifer ORCID: 0000-0002-0682-783X and West, Harry (2017) Dialogic feed-forward assessment: Re-energising the undergraduate essay. In: Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference, 29 August - 1 September 2017, London. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Assessment exercises a major influence on student learning and achievement (Boud 2007). Yet QAA subject reviews identify assessment practices as one of the weakest features of Higher Education (Rust et al. 2005). In terms of the student learning experience the feedback process following assessment is the least satisfactory element. This is exemplified in consistently low satisfaction scores for assessment and feedback in the National Student Satisfaction surveys, where most concern surrounds the timeliness, quality and effectiveness of feedback. We examine how the traditional essay can be used innovatively with students within a dialogic framework to move them beyond ‘regurgitation’ of information. We adopt a qualitative case study approach, undertaking semi-structured interviews with students from two consecutive cohorts who have undertaken dialogic feed-forward coursework on a second year undergraduate physical geography module in a British university. The assessment consists of submitting a considered draft of a coursework essay, which is discussed and evaluated face-to-face with the course tutor before a self-reflective piece is written about the assessment process and a final essay is submitted for formal grading. We test the social constructivist theory that if academic staff and students discuss feedback together students might learn to actively reflect upon feedback, developing their capacity to translate key content and ‘feeding forward’ this learning (Brown 2007). We examine whether this process asserts a positive influence on the student learning experience, in supporting student performance/achievement, and in potentially raising NSS scores related to feedback (Higgins et al. 2001, Sutton 2009).

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Dialogic; Feed-forward; Assessment, Re-energising; Undergraduate; Essay
Related URLs:	Repository
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Divisions:	Professional Services > Academic Quality, Enhancement and Innovation
Research Priority Areas:	Place, Environment and Community
Depositing User:	Marta Kemp
Date Deposited:	29 Jan 2020 14:19
Last Modified:	04 Feb 2022 15:31
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/7894

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