Student conceptions of feedback: Impact on self-regulation, self-efficacy, and academic achievement.

PSYCHOLOGICAL feedback; ACADEMIC achievement; SELF-efficacy in students; SELF regulation; GRADE point average; CONFIRMATORY factor analysis

Background Lecturers give feedback on assessed work in the hope that students will take it on board and use it to help regulate their learning for the next assessment. However, little is known about how students' conceptions of feedback relate to students' self-regulated learning and self-efficacy beliefs and academic performance. Aims This study explores student beliefs about the role and purpose of feedback and the relationship of those beliefs to self-reported self-regulation and self-efficacy, and achievement. Sample A total of 278 university students in a general education course on learning theory and approaches in a research-intensive university. Methods Self-reported survey responses for students' conceptions of feedback ( SCoF), self-regulation ( SRL), academic self-efficacy ( ASE), and Grade Point Average ( GPA) were evaluated first with confirmatory factor analysis and then interlinked in a structural equation model. Results and conclusions Three SCoF factors predicted SRL and/or GPA. The SCoF factor 'I use feedback' had positive associations with SRL (β = .44), GPA (β = .45), and ASE (β = .15). The SCoF factors 'tutor/marker comments' and 'peers help' both had negative relations to GPA (β = −.41 and −.16, respectively). 'Peers help' had a positive connection to SRL (β = .21). ASE itself made a small contribution to overall GPA (β = .16), while SRL had no statistically significant relation to GPA. The model indicates the centrality of believing that feedback exists to guide next steps in learning and thus contributes to SRL, ASE, and increased GPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of British Journal of Educational Psychology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)