Feedback in first year: a landscape snapshot.

Abstract

The Y1Feedback project is funded by the Irish National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning under the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund 2014. At its core, the Y1Feedback project aims to enhance feedback dialogue in first year undergraduate programmes using digital technologies to better support student transition to Higher Education (HE). In particular, the project seeks to identify and develop case studies of technology-supported feedback approaches for first year. This initial study was undertaken to increase awareness of feedback practices within participating institutions, with a specific focus on the first year of study. Emanating from this research, this document provides a snapshot of current feedback practice in first year undergraduate programmes across the four Y1Feedback partner institutions: Maynooth University; Athlone Institute of Technology; Dublin City University; and Dundalk Institute of Technology. It provides an insight into staff perspectives on feedback in first year and includes examples of staff experiences and feedback practices utilised. It also offers an insight into the student perceptions and experiences of feedback in first year. The findings from the study reported here, together with a parallel output consisting of a synthesis of the related feedback literature, will serve to inform the identification of case studies of technology-supported feedback approaches for first year.