The culture of feedback on second-language writing in a higher education institute

Abstract

This study explores the culture of feedback, i.e. the beliefs, behaviours and other characteristics that are common to the members of a particular group or society, in a higher education institution in Oman. It examines how feedback on second-language writing is interpreted, enacted and developed by learners and teachers, and investigates the influence of a particular social context on the practices of feedback. Using semi-structured interviews, class observations and analysis of students’ writing and college documents, the study explores the participants’ feedback beliefs and practices in an academic writing course. The results showed that feedback practices were shaped by a multitude of contextual influences, including course objectives, assessment and the practices and understanding of individual teachers and learners. These findings suggest that feedback practices do not occur in isolation. Rather, they are likely to be negotiated between teachers and learners and so are relatively situationally specific.