SMART Feedback: Exploring the impact of action-focused student feedback on the student experience of learning

Can you explain briefly what your project is/was about?

The project was focused on giving Associate Lecturers guidance on how to help students to work with their feedback more effectively. Specifically, the project was picking up a format of feedback used in many different fields, from personal training to performance reviews at work – SMART goals. These are really clear ‘action steps’ that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic; Timely – many people have heard of them but they are not often used in classrooms of in higher education (so far!).

What was your inspiration or motivation for doing this project?

The inspiration was really coming from a blend of my work outside of teaching coupled with my work at the Open University where I teach myself alongside my academic responsibilities. Having worked in fields including addiction support, family services and wellbeing I was familiar with the use of SMART goals and had seen them working effectively as they do two things well – get the person using the goals to see really clearly exactly what they need to do to achieve the next step AND to get them to agree them so that they are invested. As a tutor it wasn’t something that we had been advised to do and, whilst most Associate Lecturers give guidance that can feed into future assignments (we call if feed-forward guidance), this is sometimes a bit general and students can find it tricky to know what the next step might look like as a specific action. I wanted to see whether we could use this style of feedback to help students to move forward and build their skills and confidence as learners.

How did you carry out the project?

I recruited a team of Associate Lecturers who were interested in carrying out some scholarship research about student feedback. These Associate Lecturers were then trained on using SMART goals and subsequently used them in their assignment feedback to students across their teaching groups on an introductory psychology module. The students and tutors using the format were asked about their experiences of receiving and working with feedback before and after the trial. Data from the surveys and from emails and focus groups with the Associate Lecturers was collected and analysed. Performance data from the students was also reviewed in comparison to students on the module.

What were the key things you learnt from it?

We learnt that it is best to implement this type of feedback alongside some 1:1 student discussions or meetings. This really reflects the importance of the type of support that the OU is able to give students as Associate Lecturers often work with students 1:1 to go through their feedback. What we found was that giving goals that involved having another go at writing part of an assignment using the feedback was one of the most effective ways to help students to develop their skills. We also found that some Associate Lecturers are already doing this type of work. It highlighted that this can be effective but needs some more training resource and would be best discussed as part of module delivery and training for Associate Lecturers.

Will you be following up on the project in any way?

Absolutely. This is the start of a plan to look more at the area of effective feedback and development. We will be looking more at the guidance that Associate Lecturers are given and at how we can provide more effective, personalised support to students.

Author

Charlotte Lattin-Rawstrone, Staff Tutor in Psychology & Counselling