Learning through Successful Feedback: Digital Opportunities for Effective Feedback in Project-Based Architectural Education

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe study focuses on improving student feedback and assessment in Architectural Education, a subject area where constructive criticism is crucial and forms a part of the methodology of both teaching and practice. The UK National Student Survey consistently ranks assessment and feedback as one of the areas where students are least satisfied with their Higher Education Institutions, an issue which is prevalent within the subject area. This project aims to enhance assessment and feedback in Architecture courses by transforming the review (or crit) feedback practice by use of digital technologies enabling students to be able to effectively use and engage with feedback, as well as to raise student’s awareness of the extent and quality of feedback they receive. Using an Action Research approach, this investigation documents the creation and development of a digital tool to replace the standard paper-based post-crit feedback. The successful testing and evaluation has shown that the tool can help to deliver effective feedback to large cohort groups and help improve student perception of feedback alongside other feedback and assessment methods. Whilst focusing on Architectural Education the paper is also relevant for other subjects which include project-based learning methods.