Enhancing first year management students' engagement: An action research project to explore the use of the Essay Feedback Checklist (EFC)

Abstract

Feedback represents one of the key factors that affect student learning. A question is raised here as to what extent engaging students with feedback and considering their voices as partners in the assessment process can improve their confidence and therefore their learning. The objective of this action research was to support the introduction of the Essay Feedback Checklist (EFC) to first year management students at a British University. This research examined the use of EFC as an interactive two-way communication tool between tutors and students. The research also aimed to help management students to be more aware of the assessment criteria thus to be more engaged in feedback. Data was collected from students and tutors before and after the use of the EFC in order to highlight their perspectives regarding the effective use of the tool. The research's findings argued that students found the EFC useful to support engagement with the feedback and in improving their confidence through receiving quality feedback to develop their work further. Tutors and students claimed that the EFC created an interactive environment in providing feedback and it helped to open a dialogue about it, but they also highlighted some drawbacks.

Using Computer-Based Assessment and Feedback

“…In summary, the vast majority of student interviewees highly preferred the instant and detailed online feedback with references to review for the next assessment. This result is consistent with the results of previous studies (see , Mansour, 2015;O'Connell et al, 2010). For enhancing the efficiency of CBF, they highly recommended the continuity of providing timely and constructive CBF and face-to-face feedback as well.…”

“…Assessment and feedback literature shows a strong preference by students for instant feedback (see, Mansour, 2014Mansour, , 2015O'Connell et al, 2010 Most of the experienced third-year students responded in a similar fashion, Given the importance of feedback and its timing to students, the above quotations support instant feedback as a tool to help students to know their strengths and weaknesses and how correct them before the next assessment (Debuse & Lawley, 2016;Mansour, 2014Mansour, , 2015O'Connell et al, 2010). The participants also highly appreciated the immediacy of the constructive CBF combined with CBA of their accounting modules (see, also, Van der Kleij et al, 2015).…”

“…Another interesting theme emerging from interviewees' and focus groups' data was related to students' views about the ideal extent and content of CBF reports (Mansour, 2014(Mansour, , 2015Marriott & Teoh, 2012a,). The majority of interviewees expressed the opinion that they need comprehensive CBF on both correct and incorrect answers, as Finally, only one sceptical interviewee pointed out the limited usefulness of feedback:…”

“…Regarding the wide range of feedback types (e.g., handwritten, face-to-face, generic or online feedbacks), the use of CBF is one of the fastest growth areas in HE today (Mansour, 2015;Rowe & Wood, 2008). Increasingly, tutors and students are finding that electronic feedback not only speeds up the delivery of feedback and aids the effectiveness of reception of feedback, but also assists with generating appropriate evidence for the quality of given feedback (Mansour, 2015;O'Connell et al, 2010).…”

Cross-Cultural Dimensions Diff erential as a Method for Analyzing In-Group Processes in Cross-Cultural Teams

“…Разработка субъективных критериев оценки студентами своей работы, вклю-чая выполнение групповых проектов, является достаточно актуальным направ-лением исследований в области управления образованием, в том числе и бизнес-образованием (в частности, речь об этом идет в: [Samkin, Francis, 2008;Mansour, 2015;Singh, Joshi, 2015]). …”