Student Feedback on Teaching in Schools: Current State of Research and Future Perspectives

Abstract

The aim of this volume was to give a comprehensive overview of the current state of the research on student perceptions of and student feedback on teaching. This chapter provides a resume of the important theoretical considerations and empirical evidence the authors contributed to this volume. First, evidence concerning the validity of student perceptions of teaching quality is discussed, highlighting the quality of the questionnaires used and accompanying materials provided by their authors. In the next step, empirical findings are summarized on student and teacher characteristics that can influence important processes within the feedback cycle. Subsequently, it is emphasized that the effectiveness of student feedback on teaching is significantly related to the nature of the individual school’s feedback culture. Furthermore, it is argued that the efficacy of student feedback depends on whether teachers are provided with a high level of support, when making use of the feedback information to improve their teaching practices. As the literature review impressively documents‚ teachers, teaching, and ultimately students can benefit substantially from student feedback on teaching in schools.

Students’ Perspectives on School Sports Trips in the Context of Participation and Democratic Education

“…Feedback and participation opportunities should be introduced for all students, irrespective of their background or potential SEN [ 64 ]. It might also be important to install basic rules for giving feedback in schools [ 65 ]. A little bit is known about how students are dealing with feedback [ 66 ], but so far nothing is known about how it is implemented in school sports trips, keeping in mind that giving feedback is a form of participation, involvement, and democratic education.…”

Teacher-student relationship and teaching styles in primary education: A model of analysis

“…The use of student perceptions as a form of feedback is considered to be a very interesting way to gain insight into the teacher's teaching quality (Rollett et al ., 2021). However, our research does not focus on the quality of the teacher, but on the student's perceptions of the teachers teaching styles, and their perceptions of the teacher's educational and emotional relationship with the student.…”

The breakfast of champions: Student surveys to sustain and cultivate teachers

“…As of 2019, seven states required student survey instruments to be used as part of teacher evaluation and accountability systems in K-12 schools, and an additional 24 states and the District of Columbia permit but do not require their use (Walsh & Ross, 2019). Because this has been a recent development, studies on student surveys in K-12 settings have yet to substantively contribute to what we know about these measurement and feedback tools, but a body of research is beginning to develop (Rollett, Bijlsma, & Röhl, 2021a). What we've learned so far suggests that survey measures are not perfect at assessing teacher quality and identifying how teachers can improve, but they can help to round out the data Student survey instruments elicit information from the people who have the most up-close and in-depth knowledge of what teachers do in the classroom each day.…”

“…What we’ve learned so far suggests that survey measures are not perfect at assessing teacher quality and identifying how teachers can improve, but they can help to round out the data we get from value-added and observational measures – in effect, they add nutritional balance to the breakfast. Recent research (Geiger & Amrein-Beardsley, 2020; Rollett et al, 2021b) details both the benefits of using student survey data in K-12 settings, as well as some of its limitations.…”

“…We close with a few best practices for developing effective surveys to elicit data that nourish teachers and their practice. However, we’re assuming some basic familiarity with survey design – readers who are entirely new to this topic should also seek out more detailed guidance on how to construct and administer surveys and how to use the data effectively, whether for summative or formative purposes (see, for example, Nardi, 2018; Rollett et al, 2021b).…”