Feedback

Feedback is one of the most powerful tools for supporting learning. Done well, it helps students reflect, improve and grow. Whether delivered in a seminar, through Moodle, or in conversation, digital tools can make feedback timely, accessible and impactful.

Tips for feedback

Use Moodle rubrics and marking guides

Clear and consistent marking practices help standardise assessment, reduce repetition, and clarify expectations for students. Tools such as rubrics and marking guides are commonly used to achieve this. In Moodle, these tools can be set up directly within an assignment to align comments with specific marking criteria, promoting consistency and transparency. The ability to save and reuse frequently used comments in Moodle further streamlines the marking process. Additionally, using a shared rubric or marking guide within Moodle supports team-based marking and helps ensure fairness across different assessors. You can find more in depth information on the Assessment & Feedback in Moodle course.

Consider video or audio feedback

Some students engage more deeply with spoken feedback. Recording short, personalised video or audio comments in Moodle can be particularly effective for complex or nuanced feedback. Screen recordings allow you to annotate or talk through assignments and students can revisit these comments at their own pace, enhancing understanding and reflection. You can find more in depth information in the Feedback section of our online course.

Ensure feedback is inclusive and accessible

Feedback should empower all students and be delivered with empathy, recognising that receiving feedback can sometimes be challenging. Use clear, structured language, especially to support students with neurodiverse needs, and consider offering feedback in multiple formats such as written comments, audio, or video. Some educators give students a choice in how they receive feedback, which can increase engagement and accessibility. Normalising feedback as a constructive and supportive part of learning can help students process it more openly and make use of it effectively.

Feed forward, not just back

Effective feedback supports future learning by helping students improve how they approach upcoming assessments not just reflect on past performance. When assessment is clearly scaffolded, feedback can guide students in developing transferable skills, such as structuring an essay, writing a case study, or presenting an argument. Encouraging students to reflect on previous feedback and identify the type of support they need can make feedback sessions more targeted and relevant.

It's also important to help students learn how to interpret and apply feedback. Introducing peer review early in undergraduate study, such as through a formative exercise using a shared rubric, can build students’ understanding of assessment criteria and the feedback process itself. Moodle supports peer assessment, which can further develop students’ ability to give and receive constructive feedback.

Make feedback a conversation

Feedback is most effective when it is a dialogue. Seminars, workshops and tutorials can be used to open up feedback conversations, provided it is clear when feedback is being given. Allow students to ask questions or submit reflections on their feedback. Encourage self and peer assessment to build assessment literacy.

Plan for consistency and gather student feedback

Ensuring consistency in feedback

Consistency across modules helps students make sense of feedback and gradually develop their skills. Work with programme teams to create shared standards and expectations, using templates, rubrics, or comment banks where appropriate.

Gathering student feedback

Separately, collect feedback from students to monitor module progress and identify areas for improvement. Use tools such as Moodle Choice, Microsoft Forms, or LUMES surveys. Quick, one-question surveys during sessions can also provide an immediate sense of student confidence or understanding.