Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Feedback to students is a vital but relatively underresearched area. An analysis is presented of practice in a complex modular business programme. Attention is drawn to the difficulty of such analysis, but three ways of looking at the text are presented: by modality, by area of concern and by developmental content. A conversational form of feedback with a focus on ‘implied development’ is identified and placed in the context of Bernstein’s notion of an ‘invisible pedagogy’. Such a focus may disadvantage students and the importance of reflection on feedback in the context of knowledge claims at both the module- and the programme level is stressed.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

ATKINS, M. (1995) ‘What Should We be Asessing?’, in P. Knight (ed.) Assessment for Learning in Higher Education, pp. 25–34. London:Kogan Page .

BROWN, G.,BULL, J. & PENDLEBURY, M. (1997) Assessing Student Learning in Higher Education. London:Routledge .

BROWN, S. & SMITH, B. (1997) Getting to Grips with Assessment. Birmingham:Staff and Educational Development Association .

FAIRCLOUGH, N. (1995) Critical Discourse Analysis. London:Longman .

FALCHIKOV, N. (1995) ‘Improving Feedback To and From Students’, in P. Knight (ed.) Assessment for Learning in Higher Education, pp. 157–166. London:Kogan Page .

FREEMAN, R. & LEWIS, R. (1998) Planning and Implementing Assessment. London:Kogan Page .

HALLIDAY, M. A. (1994) An Introduction to Functional Grammar. London:Arnold .

HARTLEY, J. & CHESWORTH, K. (2000) ‘Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Research on Essay Writing: No One Way’ ,Journal of Further and Higher Education 24(1): 15–24 .

IVANIC, R.,CLARK, R. & RIMMERSHAW, R. (2000) ‘What Am I Supposed to Make of This? The Messages Conveyed to Students by Tutors’ Written Comments’, in M. Lea and B. Stierer (eds) Student Writing in Higher Education, pp. 47–66. Buckingham: Open University Press/SRHE .

10.

LAURILLARD, D. (1993) Rethinking University Teaching. A Framework for the Effective Use of Educational Technology. London: Routledge .

11.

LEA, M. & STREET, B. (1998) ‘Student Writing in Higher Education: An Academic Literacies Approach’ ,Studies in Higher Eduaction 23(2): 157–172 .

12.

MILLER, A.,IMRIE, B. & COX, K. (1998) Student Assessment in Higher Education: A Handbook for Assessing Performance. London:Kogan Page .

13.

MUTCH, A. (2002a) ‘Thinking Strategically About Assessment’ ,Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education 27: 163–174 .

14.

MUTCH, A. (2002b) ‘Applying the Ideas of Bernstein to In-Company Management Education’ , Management Learning 33(2): 181–196 .

15.

OAKLEY, A. (2000) Experiments in Knowing: Gender and Method in the Social Sciences. Cambridge:Polity .

16.

PARDOE, S. (2000) ‘A Question of Attribution: The Indeterminacy of “Learning from Experience”’, in M. Lea and B. Stierer (eds) Student Writing in Higher Education, pp. 125–146. Buckingham: Open University Press/SHRE .

17.

RUST, C. (2002) ‘The Impact of Assessment on Student Learning: How Can Research Literature Practically Help to Inform the Development of Departmental Assessment Strategies and Learner-Centred Assessment Practices?’ , Active Learning in Higher Education 3(2): 145–158 .

18.

SAYER, A. (1992) Method in Social Science: A Realist Approach. London:Routledge .

19.

STIERER, B. (2000) ‘Schoolteachers as Students: Academic Literacy and the Construction of Professional Knowledge within Master’s Courses in Education’, in M. Lea and B. Stierer (eds) Student Writing in Higher Education,pp. 179–195. Buckingham:Open University Press/SRHE .

20.

THORPE, M. (2000) ‘Encouraging Students to Reflect as Part of the Assignment Process: Student Responses and Tutor Feedback’ ,Active Learning in Higher Education 1(1): 79–92 .

21.

YOUNG, P. (2000) ‘“I Might As Well Give Up”: Self-Esteem and Mature Students’ Feelings about Feedback on Assignments’ ,Journal of Further and Higher Education 24(3): 409–418 .

Exploring the Practice of Feedback to Students

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References