Feedback principles
Feedback, and especially timely feedback, is critical for learning. The University of Waikato expects that assessments will be marked and feedback provided within three weeks of the submission date (or one week for Summer School papers) and at least one week before the final exam (if there is one).
The University also expects that students in all 100-level papers will have an opportunity to complete a small assessment worth no more than 15% within the first two weeks of a paper so that students receive feedback early on. This also gives the lecturer an early opportunity to identify any learning, access or technical challenges that students may be facing. Feedback on this assessment needs to be provided to students via Moodle within the first two weeks so that students can swap paper enrolments without consequences. Although the formal requirement only applies to 100-level papers, having an early assessment to check in on students is an effective practice at any level of study.
Feedback should offer guidance that helps students understand what they have done well and how they might better meet the learning outcomes. Comments should prompt students to evaluate themselves and regulate their own learning in the future. Discussing with students the purpose of feedback and how it is expected that they engage with it will help them more readily and purposefully read and use the careful feedback that you have spent time providing.
Assessments that build on one another maximise student engagement with the feedback process, as each new stage involves actively incorporating feedback from the previous one. You could also give students feedback on a draft or a provisional grade with the opportunity to revise after feedback is given.
Turnitin Feedback Studio
Using Turnitin Feedback Studio, feedback may be provided directly on student assessments.
Feedback Studio contains a set of frequently used marking comments, known as QuickMarks, that may be used to help make marking more efficient and consistent. You can add to the QuickMarks and even create your own personalised sets for use in particular contexts. QuickMarks sets may be exported and imported, and therefore shared between marking teams or at the programme level.
Feedback Studio allows for audio comments to be provided. Much like giving students opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge in different formats, it can be beneficial to provide feedback in different formats. Some lecturers find that audio or video feedback is more efficient. Others meet with students one-on-one to give feedback. When giving audio or video feedback, be mindful of English as an Additional Language learners and other learners who might not be readily able to engage with this type of feedback (e.g. learners with hearing impairments). It is recommended that you include captions for these types of feedback.
Peer feedback
Peer feedback may also be leveraged to help provide different perspectives. This could be done formatively (for feedback only) or summatively (directly contributing to final marks). Peer feedback can help to scaffold draft assessments towards the final version without placing extra burden on the lecturer. No matter your approach to peer feedback, students should be provided with guidance on how to assess each other, e.g. through marking criteria.