Why grading and feedback don’t mix

Feedback seeks to help students improve in the future, while grading evaluates past learning. Often, we mix the two together, but doing so can have consequences (Winstone and Boud, 2022), for example:

  • Students focus on grades and ignore feedback. We know that students are far less likely to read or act upon feedback if a grade is given alongside it (Mensink and King, 2020). Students who receive a low grade often aren’t in the right emotional state to engage with feedback, while high achievers are less likely to see feedback as valuable (Rand, 2017).
  • Educators focus comments on justification of grades. Although important, focusing on what the student has done rather than how they can improve can dilute the goal of feedback.
  • Feedback information comes too late to be of use. The time required for rigorous grading processes can slow down the return of feedback. Course design can also be the culprit here.

Some strategies to address these issues 

  • Consider an adaptive release of grades. Students may be more likely to engage with feedback released in advance of grades (Jackson and Marks, 2016). This is even more likely if the class or assessment is ungraded.
  • Involve students in the feedback process. Ask students to request feedback on a particular aspect of their work (e.g. via a cover sheet), prompting their active participation in feedback. This approach can also improve students’ feedback literacy and metacognitive skills.
  • Reallocate time spent on detailed comments. Consider whether a greater proportion of feedback given throughout the course is in response to early drafts or prototypes compared to final works.
  • Make the learning goal of feedback central to the course design:
    • Scaffold major assessments with small milestones and ensure students will have sufficient opportunity to act upon feedback ahead of the next milestone.
    • Use reflective assessment items that ask students how they have acted upon feedback, and what they have learned thus far.

If you would like some best practice tips on providing effective feedback, also check out this blog article. For more in-depth resources on feedback for learning, check out our coffee course.
 
Don’t hesitate to reach out to eddesign@anu.edu.au with any course design and pedagogy questions!

References:

Jackson, M. and Marks, L. (2016) ‘Improving the effectiveness of feedback by use of assessed reflections and withholding of grades’, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(4), pp. 532–547.
Mensink, P.J. and King, K. (2020) ‘Student access of online feedback is modified by the availability of assessment marks, gender and academic performance’, British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(1), pp. 10–22.
Rand, J. (2017) ‘Misunderstandings and mismatches: The collective disillusionment of written summative assessment feedback’, Research in Education, 97(1), pp. 33–48.
Jackson, M. and Marks, L. (2016) ‘Improving the effectiveness of feedback by use of assessed reflections and withholding of grades’, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41(4), pp. 532–547.

August 2022


Angela Stoddard is an Education Designer in the Education Design Team, Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT)