Bristol SU x BILT Collaboration – Part 3
One of the rewarding features of the recent collaboration event between Bristol SU and BILT has been hearing different experiences of marking criteria and feedback activities from undergraduate and postgraduate taught students across different faculty areas.
From the evaluation forms which were completed, we have considered some of the main reflections on feedback and marking criteria which students at the University are particularly engaged with.
What did students find useful in a workshop on this topic, and how might this be extended to academic development work at a programme, school or faculty level?
You can click on each heading for more insight.
Opportunity for discussion
Student participants outlined the real benefit of sharing experiences and hearing more about what approaches are being implemented across the University. Many commented on the opportunity this provided to explore and discuss a topic which is often an emotive one. There was also a response which outlined the value of learning what expectations and challenges students at later stages of their learning have, as well as an opportunity to share and reflect on their own experiences.
Understanding some of the University-wide approaches
Students reflected that this discussion gave them more certainty around marking criteria, which previously had been seen as vague at times. Students commented that these discussions would have a positive impact and future assignments, and as student representatives they felt well-placed to share this thinking more widely.
Based on some of our previous project work around developing insights into students’ engagement with feedback practices, we also asked: what is the one thing you would like staff in your school to do to improve feedback?
Explore the details
Students often reflected on the lack of clarity they felt in some of the marking criteria. Whether this was in terms of specific terms mentioned, or in terms of having examples which were connected to the marking criteria. A number of students were unaware of different marking criteria for different levels of study and expressed their support for sessions which outlined and deconstructed new skills and concepts as they are introduced into the programme.
Make it active
Students reflected on feedback and marking criteria which seemed to be positioned in the domain of grade justification, rather than developmental. One example mentioned was where students are asked to include more of something in their response, but not indicating what they should have included less of.
Much of the recent literature around feedback engagement emphasises the importance of student agency, and so we also asked: What can YOU do to improve your own work and/or to support efforts to improve feedback in your school?
Spread the word
Student participants emphasised the importance of putting this on the agenda at SSLCs, as well as sharing with other students and encouraging as wide a range of students to engage in feedback events.
Stay active
The reflections centred around attending feedback cafes and other events at a school level. A number of students also considered connecting the feedback with the Bristol Skills Profile and starting to look at feedback toolkits and self-reflection approaches to collate their feedback and be strategic in considering how to apply it to subsequent topics and assessments.
If you are looking to have some insights into students’ experiences of assessment and feedback at a programme level, please do let us know how we can help facilitate this.
