Parallel Session An evaluation of summative assessment feedback forms: students as co-creators of knowledge Jane Rand

This session focused on students being researchers and focusing on two questions which were:

• How do students engage with summative feedback?
• How comprehensive is their understanding of strengths and areas for development?

Focus groups were undertaken with 30 students from both 1^st and 2^nd year students with 1/3 1st year students and 2/3 2^nd year students. Themes that came from these were that there are inconsistencies in the assessment descriptors and narrative, there are inconsistencies between lecturers, vagueness in feedback and students want personalised feedback. The marking records at that time had the final grade at the end and students reporting looking at the grade and not the feedback with many not reading it at all and some if they failed read it the next day. In the main most students do not use feedback for their next assessment.

There was a need to rethink how feedback was provided and used so engagement was achieved. The team decided to amend the marking record so the grade was at the top and they also wanted to know what feedback students wanted. Students created a new template which had the grade at the top but asked students what feedback they wanted so lecturers could respond to that and then there was section on there where students had to say what they had done with the feedback and this was discussed with their personal tutor. Further focus groups were undertaken and students are now using the feedback and feel some ownership of this.