Implementation of Students' Feedback in Higher Learning Institutions, Benefits and Challenges of Feedback - Term Paper Example

University Students’ Feedback Student’s Name: Institution: Date: Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 Introduction 4 Background 4 Benefits of Feedback 6 Challenges 7 Implementation of Feedback 7 Recommendations 8 Conclusions 8 References 10 Executive Summary Many institutions of higher learning have adopted feedback processes to improve the quality of education and other important services they offer to their students. Research findings have shown that feedback systems contribute positive ideas to institutions and they open up opportunities for engagement between all stakeholders in a higher learning environment. However, some institutions still do not know the appropriate tools they can use to enhance their feedback systems. This discourages effective student engagement and participation in important activities that improve academic as well as other forms of performance in a higher learning institution. All stakeholders need to come up with appropriate techniques to ensure feedback systems attain the intended outcomes. University Students’ Feedback 1.0 Introduction Feedback is an important concept in higher learning because it helps university students engage with their tutors and fellow students on different topics they are studying. Students can use various tools to keep in touch with their tutors to gain more knowledge on different topics they are interested in learning. This exposes them to various problem solving approaches which improves their analytical skills. An important issue to consider is that time limits and inability to access tutors may make this learning approach difficult to implement. In some instances, students may not understand the importance of feedback in learning and this is likely to result in poor usage of this approach for learning purposes. This paper will examine the efficacy of using student feedback in learning and the benefits and challenges that are associated with its application in higher education. 2.0 Background Various educational experts have insisted that feedback brings about a lot of benefits to students in different learning environments. Student engagement is one of the most effective ways in which a student can attain his expectations in a particular learning environment. Feedback allows students to develop their skills because they are able to engage with their lecturers to understand their weaknesses and strengths (Kuh, 2009). Through feedback, students are able to learn important educational activities which are crucial to their development and this levels the playing field in higher learning. Additionally, students are able to collect and share resources through collaborations which have mutual benefits to all participants. This is important in helping educational institutions attain their goals in an effective way. For student engagement and feedback to gain the desired results, all participants need to be willing to invest their time and resources in activities that are potentially beneficial to their development. Graham et al. (2007) insists that virtual learning environments are becoming important features of higher learning. Distance learning offers opportunities for learners and their tutors to use various technological tools at their disposal to engage and share ideas that help them increase their knowledge in different courses they are learning. Many universities have incorporated technological concepts in their learning and teaching formats which encourage students to give feedback at their own convenience. Therefore, virtual learning environments encourage students to participate more in class discussions compared to traditional learning environments. Some students can express themselves better in a virtual leaning environment because there are fewer interaction barriers compared to other learning formats. The ease in communication makes it possible for all participants to choose a suitable time to interact and exchange ideas to increase their knowledge on relevant topics related to their courses. Learning designs need to be well structured to offer students opportunities to interact with their peers and tutors effectively. Feedback approaches that are used to identify and solve problems offer better rewards to university learners in the long run. Learners are able to form individual learning groups under the guidance of a lecturer which helps them brainstorm and come up with solutions related to what they are learning. Action groups enable learning to be more personalised which helps a tutor to identify individual strengths and weaknesses of various students under his watch (Graham et al. 2007). Consequently, a tutor is able to understand the specific resources that he needs to help every learner understand what he or she needs to do measure up to the standards put in place in a particular learning environment. 3.0 Benefits of Feedback Some educational researchers have argued that feedback in higher learning opens up opportunities for all participants to vet the quality and standards of education in a particular institution. All participants are able to share their feelings and opinions about learning practices used in a particular institution and this encourages tutors and students to work harder to attain the objectives they have set. Higher learning institutions are able to rely on information provided by students highlighting their learning experiences in a particular institution (Harper & Quaye 2009). Afterwards they can be able to review all issues that have been highlighted through feedback to find out how they affect the quality of learning in a particular institution. Feedback systems make students have more confidence in their tutors because they are able to reach them to gather more information that is important to their learning. Feedback and student engagement gives educational administrators a chance to take note of their students’ learning experiences to find out the best way in which they can be improved. As a result, an institution is able to implement learner –centred educational approaches which are beneficial to all students learning there. In effect, institutions are able to study the behaviour of different categories of students in their institutions to find out how it can be altered to make them have favourable opinions about learning formats that are used in teaching. Additionally, tutors are able to decipher learners’ attitudes towards various learning approaches used in the class room (Harper & Quaye 2009). They are able to come up with appropriate strategies to make learners have more positive attitudes towards the learning process to make them well prepared to deal with various challenges they are likely to face in their studies. 4.0 Challenges In some instances, feedback processes may not attain the intended results in different learning environments. In some instances, inappropriate tools are used for surveys and questionnaires that collect information from students in a particular institution. This erodes the credibility of the feedback process because results may not bring about meaningful change in educational design in a particular institution. The data collected from such processes may not have a qualitative contribution to standards that are used to measure and assess educational success in a particular institution (Alderman, Towers & Bannah 2012). Relying on students’ views and opinions may not be the best way in which an institution of higher learning can review the success of its programs on its learners who are pursuing different educational programs. Time constraints and unwillingness by students to take part in feedback approaches in educational institutions are also some of the main challenges faced by institutions that are interested in adopting these processes. As a result, institutions may not have enough time to conduct surveys to gather opinions on students’ perceptions and opinions about the learning process. Some students may not understand what they are going to get out of a specific feedback process and this is likely to discourage them from participating effectively (Alderman, Towers & Bannah 2012). As a result, they may favour individualistic approaches to learning with minimum interaction with their tutors and peers after official learning hours. Therefore, such students may not be interested in contributing their ideas to enable their institutions improve positively. 5.0 Implementation of Feedback in Higher Learning Institutions Higher learning institutions need to adopt feedback processes that are responsive to their internal needs. The feedback processes adopted should encourage learners and their tutors to collaborate more to attain good outcomes. Specific activities that are used in feedback processes need to be clearly defined and spelt out to ensure all participants understand their significance. Institutions of higher learning need to learn from experience to find out suitable tools that can encourage students to participate in feedback processes that have been put in place to improve results obtained. Quality assurance systems need to be well developed to ensure institutions compare the performance of their internal tools with those from other institutions to find out specific areas that need to be improved. 6.0 Recommendations All participants need to be briefed about the importance of feedback to an institution. The tools used for these processes need to encourage all participants to contribute freely to the process without any fear. Structured debates between students, tutors and administrators can help institutions to come up with effective feedback systems. An institution needs to look at long term qualitative contributions before implementing feedback systems. Decision making processes need to ensure all participants understand the type of contributions they need to make. 7.0 Conclusion This paper has discussed the manner in which feedback processes bring about positive contributions to the operations of different educational institutions. Therefore, all stakeholders need to do more to ensure the challenges associated with feedback processes do not discourage them from pursuing its objectives. They also need to put in place accountability and monitoring systems to assess specific contributions made by feedback processes to improvements in their internal operations. Consequently, this will help them improve learning outcomes in their institutions and their students will be well prepared to deal with various challenges they are likely to face in their future careers. 8.0 References Alderman, L, Towers, S & Bannah, S 2012, ‘Student feedback systems in higher education: a focused literature review and environmental scan’, Journal of Quality in Higher Education, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 261-280. Graham, CR, Tripp, TR, Seawright, L & Joeckel, GL 2007, ‘Empowering or compelling reluctant participators using audience response systems’, Active Learning in Higher Education, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 233–258. Harper, SR & Quaye, SJ 2009, Student engagement in higher education: theoretical perspectives and practical approaches for diverse populations, Routledge, New York and London. Kuh, GD 2009, ‘What student affairs professionals need to know about student engagement’, Journal of College Student Development, vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 683–706. Read More