Exploring the emotional responses of undergraduate students to assessment feedback: implications for instructors
Exploring the emotional responses of undergraduate students to assessment feedback: implications for instructors
Author
Hill, Jennifer
Berlin, Kathy
Choate, Julia
Cravens-Brown, Lisa
McKendrick-Calder, Lisa
Smith, Susan
Faculty Advisor
Date
2021
Keywords
assessment feedback , emotions , thematic analysis , feedback literacy , learning attitudes and behaviours
Abstract (summary)
Summative assessments tend to be viewed as high-stakes episodes by students, directly
exposing their capabilities as learners. As such, receiving feedback is likely to evoke a variety of
emotions that may interact with cognitive engagement and hence the ability to learn. Our
research investigated the emotions experienced by undergraduate students in relation to
assessment feedback, exploring if these emotions informed their learning attitudes and
behaviours. Respondents were drawn from different years of study and subject/major. A
qualitative approach was adopted, using small group, semi-structured interviews and
reflective diaries. Data were analysed thematically and they revealed that receiving feedback
was inherently emotional for students, permeating their wider learning experience positively
and negatively. Many students struggled to receive and act upon negative feedback,
especially in early years, when it was often taken personally and linked to a sense of failure.
Negative emotional responses tended to reduce students’ motivation, self-confidence, and
self-esteem. Some students, especially in later years of study, demonstrated resilience and
engagement in response to negative feedback. By contrast, positive feedback evoked intense
but fleeting emotions. Positive feedback made students feel cared about, validating their selfworth
and increasing their confidence, but it was not always motivational. The paper
concludes with recommendations for instructors, highlighting a need to communicate
feedback carefully and to develop student and staff feedback literacies.
Publication Information
Hill, J., Berlin, K., Choate, J., Cravens-Brown, L., McKendrick-Calder, L., & Smith, S. (2021). Exploring the emotional responses of undergraduate students to assessment feedback: Implications for instructors. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 9(1), 294-316. https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.1.20
DOI
Notes
Item Type
Article
Language
English
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)
