Personal and Empathetic Dialogue: An Investigation into the role of correspondence tuition in supporting student progression and retention

This study links together research on the role of feedback/correspondence tuition in student engagement and student retention and progression. Specifically, it looks at the importance of nurture and warmth in feedback in sustaining student engagement and enhancing student confidence and feelings of self-belief in their work. 

In a distance learning context, feedback on assignments is often the main and only consistent contact between tutor and student.  It is the tutor’s chance to not only teach, but to forge links with the student and open a dialogue that will hopefully enable and encourage students to seek further support if and when needed.  This investigation therefore looked at ways in which a supportive and open relationship can be encouraged via written feedback and communication from the tutor. It considered the ways which this may positively impact on student progression and retention. 

There were four strands to the investigation: (1) a literature review of research on the role of tutor/student relationship in student retention and the role of feedback on assignments; (2) an analysis of overall comments and script feedback on 90 scripts across four different modules; (3) a student questionnaires to survey their experience and expectations of feedback; and finally, (4) interviews with tutors to gather what they themselves expect/want from correspondence tuition. 

In terms of quantitative data, the link between progression and empathetic feedback was  inconclusive. Although grades increased or stayed the same when a tutor was found to have a highly empathetic style, they could also increase or stay the same if little encouragement or nurture was found in their feedback.  However, qualitative feedback, including comments from the students, the tutors and the researchers on the scripts they analysed, painted a fuller picture on the link between progression and empathetic feedback.  Students appreciated and felt supported when tutors were ‘helpful and open’ in their feedback.  Likewise, ‘friendly and approachable’ feedback helped students feel comfortable interacting with their tutors.  Conversely, overly negative feedback reduced a student’s confidence in contacting their tutor for further help and support as it was felt that they would not be ‘sympathetic or open’ to discussion. Feedback that was personal to the student was found to be excellent by the researchers and students alike, with a student commenting that the ‘best parts of the feedback…were the personal, honest and pertinent parts’.  At level 1 entry, the language used for feedback could seem too complicated although students recognised that tutors were trying to make them ‘think academically’. 

Overall, the study found that students are more likely to thrive - that is, develop and feel more content with their engagement with study - when given personalised feedback that is friendly, warm and is appropriate to their needs.