Introduction of Feedback for Better Learning

Abstract

Introduction: Feedback provided during formative assessment guides students to close the gap between their current and desired performance and enhances their learning and satisfaction. To get positive impact of feedback, it should be effective and timely. Perceptions and preferences of students for feedback may vary based on their attitude, cognitive style, gender and many other factors. Teachers may have different perceptions than the students about feedback. So present study tries to introduce feedback in the formative assessment of pharmacology and understand perceptions of students and teachers towards it. Aim: To provide effective, timely feedback to students for giving desired direction to learning and also, to assess students' and teachers' perceptions of feedback. Materials and Methods: A session on importance and techniques of feedback was conducted for sensitisation of faculty. EvidenceEffect-Change (EEC) technique was selected to provide feedback to students during formative assessment in tutorials and tests. A total of 150 students of third semester were divided into two batches for practical classes on alternate days. Each batch was subdivided into six subgroups. They were given one to one and face to face feedback, eight times in a period of four months, during tutorials and after tests of General pharmacology and Autonomic nervous system conducted in practical classes. The perceptions and preferences of students and teachers were recorded on self structured, prevalidated questionnaires using five-point Likert’s scale. Data were analysed using frequency distributions and median as measure of central tendency. Open ended questions were analysed descriptively. Results: There was consensus among students that feedback provided was effective, timely and had positive emotional effects. The students agreed having received feedback on all mistakes with corrections, content, organisation of content and handwriting. 88% students wanted the feedback process to be continued. Students (n=7) also suggested that more time should be spent by teachers in providing individual feedback to each student. All teachers agreed that during feedback they gave more emphasis on correcting mistakes, clarifying doubts and motivating students to work hard. 83% of teachers said that because of time constraint, all students didn’t get equal feedback and they spent more time giving feedback to academically weaker students who were consistently scoring less than passing marks. Teachers suggested that students should be divided into groups based on their performance and group feedback can be easily provided. Conclusion: Feedback has positive constructive effect on students’ emotions and learning. A large majority of students as well as teachers want feedback process to be continued throughout the session, but there is a difference in opinion of teachers and students about one to one or group feedback.

Keywords

• evidence-effect-change technique
• formative assessment
• perceptions
• pharmacology