Engaging in Feedback: Students as Recipients and Providers of Feedback in an In-class Activity

Abstract

Despite the positive impacts of providing and receiving peer-feedback, students remain ill-prepared to engage in feedback processes. I report on an action research that was employed to addresses students’ reluctance to providing peer-feedback. The aim was to promote a learning atmosphere that values feedback by having students as active participants in the feedback process. As part of an in-class peer-feedback activity, students provided feedback to their peers’ final assignment by identifying areas of strengths and for improvement. Based on observations and a focus group, students positively experienced the peer-feedback activity. They reported utilizing the feedback in improving their work, extended the feedback application to other contexts and were able to practice and engage actively in the process of feedback. Keen attention and further efforts are necessary to be taken towards actively and strategically integrating peer-feedback within curricula. Recognizing peer feedback as a preparation for practice learning while creating multiple practice opportunities would maximize the transferability of peer-feedback as a skill to the professional context.

Keywords: peer-feedback, master’s students, qualitative, students’ experiences, practice learning