Students’ and Lecturers’ Perceptions and Experiences on Engaging Students in Feedback Dialogues to Promote the Voices of Students in Learning in Higher Education

Abstract

Students' involvement in discussions on feedback in higher education is not afforded the significance it deserves. Students’ voices in matters of teaching, learning and assessment need to be incorporated so that learning is not left only in the teacher's control. This study sought the students’ and lecturers’ perceptions and views on involving students in feedback dialogues, trying to access the subjective meanings that participants ascribe to the phenomenon of ‘feedback’. The existing feedback model transmits information from lecturers to students as passive recipients of feedback. A shift in the conceptual feedback landscape is necessary to perceive feedback as a tool for improving performance and learning through lecturer-student dialogues. Archer’s theoretical model of feedback underpinned this qualitative study. A phenomenological design was adopted. Data was collected from 15 undergraduate university Education students and 6 lecturers through purposive and convenience sampling. Face-to-face, one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with all 21 participants and 2 focus group discussions with the students. Data was analysed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that students and lecturers embrace students’ involvement in feedback dialogues. Furthermore, findings showed that some lecturers engage students in feedback dialogues before conducting assessments. The findings imply that lecturers should engage students in assessment and feedback conversations to enhance student feedback uptake and utility. Higher education institutions should monitor feedback implementation.