Exploring student perceptions of verbal feedback

This multiple case study was used to explore students' perceptions of what constitutes verbal feedback and what impacts their receipt and use of feedback. Interpretivist research was undertaken in a rural mixed secondary school in Cornwall, UK involving four year nine students (aged 13-14years) from two separate classes over eleven weeks. Learning diaries, semi-structured observations and semi-structured group interviews were the methods used to ascertain student perceptions of the delivery of verbal feedback. Thematic, inductive analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings demonstrated that students perceived verbal feedback as a form of focused conversation, different to normal classroom dialogue, identifiable by signals such as personal and task goals. Students sought clarity through verbal feedback, one method of which was dialogue with the teacher, which was desired but not always present. The complexities of the feedback process and the recognition that learners believe variables such as emotion, atmosphere and expectations impact upon it are highlighted. Further research into teacher and student expectations and the role of teacher emotions in the feedback process would be beneficial.