self-regulation and teacher feedback

It is a while since I made an entry. At present I am busy collecting data via interviews and written reflections. One of the things I am interested in, apart from how the three-step reflective framework was used, is how participants have been reflecting in their studies and professional lives normally and how they may have changed their approach since using the reflective framework. One of the variables in the reflective process may also be the amount of feedback they were given on their assignments.

As part of the interview, I asked participants whether lecturer feedback was helpful in helping them reflect - so far they have said yes. Then I was listening to a keynote from the REAP assessment conference I found some interesting material which suggests how important feedback is in the process of reflection. In the keynote called: Principles of good assessment and feedback: Theory and practice, David Nicol, University of Strathclyde- the emphasis was on self-assessment and feedback. The following statement relates closely to the way in which teacher feedback can assist reflection:

..."the act of using teacher feedback implies that self assessment is present. To use teacher feedback students must decode the message, internalise it and use that feedback to make judgements about their own work and then act on those judgements – but this already implies internal processes of comparison and self-assessment. Hence self-assessment is actually embedded in the use of teacher feedback. And if the use of feedback involves active self-assessment would it not be better if we strengthened this capability rather than only focus on improving teacher feedback. So one question for me was: How can we scaffold students’ learning so that they become better at self-regulation?". In the article accompanying the keynote I found some principles which were linked to feedback and reflection.

Four principles relate to feedback as an assessment tool. But note that only one specifically mentions reflection. I would suggest that feedback of any kind stimulates some sort of reflection anyway.

The principles 3 to 6 are as follows:
3. Deliver high quality feedback information that helps learners self-correct.
What kind of teacher feedback do you provide – in what ways does it help
students self-assess and self-correct?
4. Encourage positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem.
To what extent do your assessments and feedback processes activate your
students’ motivation to learn and be successful?
5. Encourage interaction and dialogue around learning (peer and teacherstudent.
What opportunities are there for feedback dialogue (peer and/or tutor-student)
around assessment tasks in your course?
6. Facilitate the development of self-assessment and reflection in learning.
To what extent are there formal opportunities for reflection, self-assessment or
peer assessment in your course?

Some of the resources associated with the REAP project can be found on the project site.

This self-assessment idea and feedback also relates to e-Portfolios and blogs - think about how we reflect on what we have written when someone gives us feedback on our blogs. Feedback on e-Portfolios, however, could be a more spurious thing because they are rarely set up to receive dynamic and ongoing feedback - generally the feedback is more finite i.e. whether you get a pass grade or the promotion, or the practising certificate or the job for which you created the e-portfolio. So the question is..the reflective framework is designed to assist people reflect as they prepare evidence for an e-Portfolio or blog, but how can it assist in the feedback process...this may be something I need to look into further....feedback well positive feedback can be very motivating. Negative feedback on the other hand can drive us underground or into retaliation...ah but that is another story.

Does feedback on a reflective blog help people reflect even further and alter the course of their learning?