A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Enhancing academic and Practice

208 ❘
Teaching, supervising, learning
The second example is one in which pressures on resources have led to larger tutorial
groups, and a module evaluation has revealed that students are dissatisfied with the
limited opportunities they have to contribute actively to the discussion. One way forward
might be to halve the size of tutorial groups by scheduling each student to attend tutorials
at fortnightly rather than weekly intervals. Another might be to experiment with new
strategies to maximise tutorial interaction and debate (e.g. through greater reliance on
preparatory and follow-up exercises carried out by the students in their own time).
In the third example, a student questionnaire has pointed to shortcomings in the
provision of feedback to students on their coursework assignments. But where exactly are
the major trouble spots, given recent research evidence that students’ concerns about
feedback and guidance can take many different forms (Hounsell et al., 2008), and since
remedial action needs to match diagnosis if it to be effective?
As these three examples make clear, in many teaching-learning situations there is no
one obvious or ideal response to feedback, but rather an array of options from which a
choice has to be made as to what is appropriate and feasible. Some options may have
resource implications that necessitate consulting with colleagues; some may necessitate
further probing to pinpoint more precisely the nature of the concerns expressed; and
some may best be resolved by giving the students concerned an opportunity to express
their views on the various options under consideration.
1 CLARIFY
MOTIVES AND
FOCUS
6 AGREE ON
ACTION, IMPLEMENT
CHANGES
2 DECIDE FOCUS
AND TIMING
5 ANALYSE AND
INTERPRET THE
RESULTING FEEDBACK
3 CHOOSE
SOURCES OF
FEEDBACK
4 BLEND METHODS
OF GATHERING
FEEDBACK
Figure 14.2 The evaluation cycle