Feedback reform passes after heated debate

- University makes landmark decision to improve feedback across departments

- Marking within three weeks to become norm

Faster and more in-depth feedback will be guaranteed to students after a new feedback policy was passed by the University of Manchester last week.

Students were heavily involved in drafting the policy, which will see marks returned within three weeks of deadline, and more extensive feedback for all types of assessment, including exams.

“We’ve listened to our students and our students are telling us that they feel that our feedback process could be improved,” said Vice President for Teaching and Learning Colin Stirling. “We’ve listened to the suggestions and comments from the students and are trying to improve it.”

The University has been criticised by students for years for the lack of feedback in many subjects and vast inconsistencies between schools; last year’s National Students Survey saw Manchester score particularly low in the feedback related questions.

After months of consultations with students and staff the feedback policy, along with a formal recommendation from the Students’ Union Executive, was finally put before Senate, the institution’s main academic body comprised of Vice-Chancellor Alan Gilbert, Deans of Faculties, School representatives as well as members of the Union.

“We had a very consistent response back from students for timely feedback,” said Dr Chris Davies, the Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning, who has been one of the driving forces behind the policy, during the meeting, Timely feedback should be provided “within the life of a unit” to give students the chance to respond to it.

The quality of feedback was also found to be important, with students asking for “personal feedback they could respond to as an individual,” according to Davies, who added around 80 per cent of students said during consultation they would be happy to wait two to three weeks for their feedback to ensure it would be of better quality.

Stirling commented: “To some extent I was slightly surprised that they felt that a three week turnaround in feedback, for example on assessments, was very acceptable. I rather thought they might want it even quicker.”

During consultations, staff have expressed worries that feedback would suffer if they were pressed for time. “I’m not surprised that students have listened to that argument and have understood and agreed with it. They would prefer that they get quality feedback in a reasonable time than lesser quality feedback very rapidly,” said Stirling.

Indeed, the policy allows for an extension to four weeks for returning marks which faculties can grant under exceptional circumstances, such as Politics units which have 600 students enrolled.

During the Senate meeting, many school representatives voiced similar concerns about the new regulations – at times resulting in heated debate – some believing Senate was not “in a position to rule on it today.”

Alan Gilbert openly spoke out in favour of the policy, after being repeatedly criticised by students during his term as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University, which runs out this summer. He pointed out that most people agreed on the principles of the policy, ensuring students received better, quicker feedback, but argued about the wording instead. “It would be a hideous mistake for Senate not to try and determine these principles today,” Gilbert said, adding that the wording could be finalised in time for the next meeting in April.

Arguing for the feedback policy, UMSU Academic Affairs Officer Kate Little said it was “shocking a document could be delayed because of procedure.

“The University moves far too slowly for its own good sometimes.”

“This isn’t rocket science,” added General Secretary Gabriel Hassan. “What’s the point of going to uni if you’re not going to get feedback? You might as well just go to the library then.

“Students are getting fed up. This is the first real opportunity to get something tangible. Students won’t react very well to this, they know what is right and this is right.”

Stirling reinforced that most staff members do agree on the principles. “We’ve had a very widespread staff consultation, we’ve had lots and lots of comments from staff and the vast, vast, vast majority of those are very supportive of the principles. There are concerns on how to implement them because staff feel when we make promises we really have to try and keep them so there are concerns about that, but I think that we’ve come up with a policy that’s going to be feasible.”

The policy also includes making it possible for students to see their exam scripts university-wide. Currently, some schools allow their students to see their exams, however they need to pay a £10 fee for the privilege. “To be honest with you, in many parts of the university it is possible now for students to ask to see their exams and they can,” said Colin Stirling, “it’s simply that its not widespread and we intend that it should be a facility that’s open to all students. Of course most students even in schools where it is possible don’t ask to see their exams as they’re quite happy with their marks and don’t feel any need to.” He added that the University would “want to see that practice [of charging £10] stop at present, though it could be reintroduced at a later point should demand among students increase dramatically. [However] I really would trust that we won’t have to.”

While the principles of the feedback policy were passed, the effects are unlikely to be immediately visible to students. To ensure faster feedback is possible, submission deadlines for essays and other coursework would have to be moved. “I think it would be difficult and perhaps even unfair on students themselves to suddenly change all those deadlines,” said Stirling.

“What we would be asking is that schools should look at the new regulations and that they should seek to implement them as quickly as possible, so that where those sort of considerations don’t apply we hope that the schools would start to implement them.

“But of course there will be a bit of a cultural change that’s required in certain parts, in student support and the like, and so we’d expect it to be much more fully implemented in the following academic year.”

Following the vote, Kate Little commented: “I’m delighted that Senate has approved a document essentially created by students and with students’ needs put first. The one thing I don’t get is why the meeting was such a battle: surely it’s common sense that students need good feedback to learn?

“Students have been surveyed, questionnaired and focus-grouped for years, saying the same things: it’s about time the University gave us something tangible in response, and this is a great first step. There’s much more work to be done, though: I’ll keep a close eye on the revised wording of the policy and will push for a monitoring scheme to make sure that students are actually getting what this policy says they deserve, and that they have somewhere to complain to if their feedback isn’t up to scratch.

“We’ve got the big symbolic win, but we have to make sure what we asked for is actually delivered: I’ll be working hard on making sure it will be.”