The Development and Validation of the Feedback in Learning Scale (FLS)

Mark Jellicoe,Alex Forsythe

doi:10.3389/feduc.2019.00084

Abstract

Research attention has shifted from feedback delivery mechanisms to supporting learners to receive feedback well (Winstone, Nash, Parker, & Rowntree, 2017). Recognising feedback and the action necessary to take the next steps are vital to self-regulated performance (Panadero, 2017; Zimmerman, 2000). Evaluative judgements supporting such mechanisms are vital forces that promote academic endeavour and lifelong learning (Ajjawi, Tai, Dawson, & Boud, 2018). Measuring such mechanisms is well developed in occupational settings (Boudrias, Bernaud, & Plunier, 2014). Understanding how these relate to self-regulated learning gains in Higher Education (HE) is less well understood (Forsythe & Jellicoe, 2018). Here we refined a measure of feedback integration from the occupational research domain (Boudrias et al., 2014) and investigate its application to HE. Two groups of psychology undergraduates endorsed perspectives associated with feedback. The measure examines process characteristics including message valence, source credibility, and challenge associated with feedback. Action characteristics including feedback acceptance, awareness, motivational intentions, and the desire to make behavioural changes and undertake development activities as a result of feedback. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that undergraduate learners endorsed a single process feedback factor, credible source challenge. From action characteristics, learners endorsed four factors. These include acceptance of feedback, awareness, motivational intentions. Finally, the desire to take behavioural changes and participate in development activities formed a single factor. The structure of the instrument and hypothesised paths between derived factors was confirmed using latent variable structural equation modelling. Both models achieved mostly good, and at least acceptable fit, endorsing the robustness of the measure in HE learners. These finding increase understanding of HE learners relationship with feedback. Here, acceptance of feedback predicts the extent to which learners found the source of feedback credible. Credible source challenge in turn predicts awareness resulting from feedback. Subsequently, awareness predicts motivations to act. These promising results, whilst cross-sectional, also have implications for programmes. Further research employing this instrument is necessary to understand changes in learner attitudes in developing beneficial self-regulated skills that support both programmes of study and graduates in their careers.

Highlights

Providing feedback that assesses learner performance relative to goals or objectives is proposed as a necessary process in optimizing performance
A first data driven derived a feedback in learning scale with a five factor structure
The current investigation indicates that the FLS represents a valid and reliable measure of feedback integration behaviors in undergraduate learners

Summary

Introduction

Providing feedback that assesses learner performance relative to goals or objectives is proposed as a necessary process in optimizing performance. Increasing learner assessment literacy through the use of rubrics is thought to make available the tacit knowledge that academics often carry around in their heads Most of these interventions have had very little impact on student satisfaction with assessment and feedback and National Student Survey scores on this area remain relatively stable (and low) across the HE sector (Evans et al, 2018). The evaluations that learners make following performance, for example in response to feedback, is suggested to be a central mechanism in self-regulated learning (Zimmerman, 2000; Panadero et al, 2017). Once these skills are developed, researchers propose that learners can become self-directed (Van Merriënboer and Kirschner, 2017)

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