Engaging a growth mindset: harnessing assessment feedback to engage students in learning

Abstract: Providing students with feedback is often seen as an integral component of the grading process that is provided often directive or corrective tone. We will explore re-conceiving feedback as an opportunity to encourage student learning. We will propose an approach to providing feedback that builds assessment capital.Shifting comments to a conversational tone facilitates thinking, students are then encouraged to engage with the feedback and reflect upon how their work is assessed. Further it builds self-efficacy to apply this knowledge to future assessment. This approach to feedback draws the student into learning mode and supports a growth mindset. The feedback is provided to engage the student,to broaden their thinking and perspective and engage in metacognition, rather than training them to ‘ace’ a single type of assessment.

Keywords: Feedback, engagement, learning