From both sides of the classroom : perspectives on teacher feedback on academic writing and feedback practice

Research on feedback on student writing has investigated numerous aspects over the years. However, focused studies involving perspectives of both teachers and students in a particular educational setting are rare. This study investigated the views of teachers and students from a university in Singapore regarding feedback on academic writing and feedback practice. Nine experienced writing teachers and eight undergraduates participated in focus-group discussions in separate sessions. Discussions covered topics on the purpose of feedback and the specific areas that feedback should cover. Both teachers and students agreed that the purpose of feedback should be to help students become reflective and independent learners. The teachers tended to use feedback to justify the grades awarded to the assignments, and tailored their feedback to the requirements of the respective courses. The students, however, felt that the feedback needed to be more detailed. The individual needs of the students were also not always met. We propose recommendations to create a dialogic environment between teachers and students, and so facilitate the provision of personalized feedback on academic writing.Published versio