Beyond the S**t Sandwich: Empowering Student Learning Through Action-Oriented Feedback
Event date and time: 5th March 2026, 12.00 – 13.00
With Bev Hancock-Smith, De Montfort University
Bev Hancock-Smith has taught in the Further Education and Higher Education sector for over 15 years. Her role as Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Learning and Study Support (CLaSS) involves designing and delivering lectures and workshops which develop key academic skills for students across the institution. Bev’s wider portfolio includes coordinating Learning Services in-curriculum provision within the faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media; overseeing mentoring opportunities across DMU, with direct responsibility for Dare to Be mentoring; and developing and managing the Learning Services-wide feedback and evaluation tool to contribute to continuous development. Alongside her role in CLaSS, Bev is a playwright and is also studying for a PhD within the School of Humanities and Performing Arts at DMU.
Feedback is a cornerstone of effective learning, yet dissatisfaction with its practices persists in higher education (Henderson et al., 2019). At De Montfort University (DMU), NSS data revealed declining student satisfaction with feedback clarity and applicability, particularly in STEM disciplines. While our existing feedback toolkit improved outcomes in social science disciplines, STEM students remain underserved in this area. This project seeks to address this gap. With ethics committee approval and led by a student research assistant, the study employs focus groups with third-year Engineering students to explore their reception, understanding, and application of feedback on final-year projects. Data are triangulated through staff interviews and a review of written feedback to identify key barriers and opportunities for improvement. Preliminary findings indicate a need for discipline-specific resources that demystify feedback language and promote actionable responses.
This webinar showcases the co-creation of an evidence-driven feedback toolkit tailored to the needs of Computing, Engineering, and Media (CEM) students. The project demonstrates the value of embedding student voice in LD practice to enhance learning outcomes. By aligning staff and student approaches to feedback, the project supports positive learning outcomes, contributes to institutional metrics such as the TEF and NSS, and offers insights transferable to other disciplines.
References
- Hattie, J., & Clarke, S. (2018). Visible Learning: Feedback (1st ed.). Routledge.
- https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429485480
- Nicol, D. & Macfarlane‐Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self‐regulated learning: A model and seven
- principles of good feedback practice. Studies in higher education, 31(2), 199-218.
- Office for Students (OfS) (2023) National Student Survey data: provider-level dashboard. Available at:
- https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/national-student-survey-data/provider-level-
- dashboard/ (Accessed: 1 July, 2024)
- QAA (2023) Evaluating Excellence: TEF 2023 Submission and Panel Statement Analysis. Published online by
- QAA Available at: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/news-events/news/qaa-publishes-analysis-of-tef-submissions-and-
- panel-statements# (Accessed: 4 July 2024)
- Williams, A. (2024). Delivering effective student feedback in higher education: An evaluation of the challenges
- and best practice. International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES), 10(2), 473-501.
- https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.3404