Case Study 3: Assessing learning and exchanging feedback

Contextual Background

Teaching a first-year BA Architecture design studio presents challenges in ensuring students learn from both verbal and written feedback. Many students view feedback as final comments rather than tools for progression. This year, I wanted to focus on ensuring that feedback, from myself and through peer-to-peer, became a useful learning process for the students.

Evaluation
My approach thus far has been to encourage self-assessment by having students identify gaps in their work according to the brief criteria, then consider how the peer and tutor feedback they receive can be used to address those gaps. However, peer feedback often lacks constructive elements, with discussions focusing on positive comments alone rather than actionable suggestions. As a result, students have not always addressed feedback, and self-assessments are not consistently evidenced, undermining their potential. Peer-to-peer engagement also relies on me prompting individual comments rather than fostering inclusive, group-wide discussions.

Moving Forward
Reflecting on whether feedback through means of self-assessment was the best approach, I referred to Race’s (2001) argument that “students can learn a great deal about their own attempt at a task by assessing two or three other students’ attempts” (p. 7), emphasising the value of active engagement in assessment. This collaborative process fosters critical evaluation skills and self-awareness, enhancing the learning experience. Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006) further suggest that engaging students in self-assessment, with clearly defined criteria, improves their ability to monitor and regulate their own learning. 

Furthermore, my intention to focus on peer feedback is to encourage a collaborative learning environment, promoting not only the development of critical thinking skills but also a deeper understanding of course content. Topping (2009) highlights that “peer feedback is a valuable tool for developing learners’ reflective and evaluative abilities, which in turn enhances their understanding and critical engagement with the subject matter” (p. 23). This aligns with the goal of fostering an environment where students actively engage with one another’s work through feedback, whilst developing both their analytical skills and subject knowledge.

Proposed Action: I aim to promote learning through self-assessment and peer feedback during informal pin-ups in studio sessions. Before presenting their work, students will formulate a couple of questions to help clarify areas of struggle and intended progress. In peer-to-peer feedback, students will use post it notes to offer concise responses to these questions and to the following two questions:

1. What do you enjoy about the project?
2. Is anything missing or unclear to better address the brief?

This approach ensures that each student receives both verbal feedback and written suggestions they can physically take away, reinforcing positive aspects and areas for improvement. It also encourages discussion and enables me to engage with their self-assessment, fostering deeper learning opportunities. According to Hattie and Timperley (2007), feedback is most effective when it provides clear information about how students can close the gap between their current and desired performance, which this method aims to achieve.

Reflection: After implementing the actions above, it became clear that students struggled with self-assessment and reflecting on their progress. I asked them to consider this in pairs and guided them through the process by asking probing questions about their physical work and encouraging them to assess their progress against the project brief and criteria. Initially, it took some time for them to engage, but as the session progressed, students became more involved and quicker in addressing written feedback. A few students also became more open to reading comments aloud. A challenge will be to see how I can involve this in formal reviews, when time is further constrained, students are under more stress and are naturally more reactive than responsive. 

Summary: Integrating self- and peer-assessment significantly increased student engagement. By actively participating in self-assessment and formulating questions, students took greater ownership of their learning. Though initially hesitant, they grew more confident and appreciated learning from both their peers and my feedback. This mirrors Race’s (2001, p. 14) argument that feedback on self-assessment challenges students’ thinking, helping them reassess their own progress. By the end of the session, students were eager to repeat the process, recognising its benefits beyond just achieving final grades. This approach aligns with Biggs and Tang’s (2011) assertion that “students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process, particularly when they take responsibility for their own learning” (p. 37). This highlights the importance of student ownership and reflection in long-term learning success.

References

Biggs, J. and Tang, C., 2011. Teaching for Quality Learning at University. 4th ed. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education.

Hattie, J. and Timperley, H., 2007. The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), pp.81-112.

Nicol, D.J. and Macfarlane-Dick, D., 2006. Formative Assessment and Self-regulated Learning: A Model and Seven Principles of Good Feedback Practice. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), pp.199-218.

Race, P., 2001. A Briefing on Self, Peer and Group Assessment. York: LTSN Generic Centre.

Topping, K.J., 2009. Peer Assessment. Theory into Practice, 48(1), pp.20-27.