Emotions Experienced by Instructors Delivering Written Feedback and Dialogic Feed-Forward

Jennifer Hill; Kathy Berlin; Julia Choate; Lisa  Cravens-Brown; Lisa  McKendrick-Calder; Susan Smith

doi:10.20343/teachlearninqu.11.6

Authors

Jennifer Hill University of Gloucestershire https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0682-783X
Kathy Berlin Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4607-5326
Julia Choate Monash University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3016-698X
Lisa Cravens-Brown The Ohio State University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6320-5068
Lisa McKendrick-Calder MacEwan University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3261-7174
Susan Smith Leeds Beckett, University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5803-4332

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.11.6

Keywords:

assessment feedback, dialogic feed-forward, emotions, feedback literacy, emotional labour

Abstract

Understanding the emotions experienced by higher education instructors related to assessment feedback, how instructors understand student emotions, and how instructors might manage these emotions positively, can help to secure the educational benefits of feedback. In this research, we aimed to explore the emotional responses that instructors experienced through the giving and receiving of assessment feedback. We undertook qualitative data collection, carrying out individual semi-structured interviews with instructors from three universities who had administered a dialogic feed-forward intervention on one of their teaching units. The full interview transcripts were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Five main themes emerged from the interview data: 1. Summative written feedback aroused largely negative emotions in instructors because they felt distanced from their students; 2. Instructors experienced a broad range of emotions related to dialogic feed-forward encounters, emerging from their proximity to students; 3. Dialogic feed-forward, as an affective encounter, was emotionally challenging for instructors; 4. Dialogic feed-forward built strong learning relationships between students and instructors, strengthening students’ sense of belonging; 5. Dialogic feed-forward was transformational for instructors as educators. We consider the implications of our findings for instructors and wider assessment and feedback practices, including emotional labour, promotional reward, and instructor professional development.

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Author Biographies

Jennifer Hill, University of Gloucestershire

Jennifer Hill, PhD, is professor of higher education pedagogies and head of learning and teaching innovation at the University of Gloucestershire (GBR).

Kathy Berlin, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana

Kathryn Berlin, PhD, is an associate professor and program director for health sciences at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana (USA).

Julia Choate, Monash University

Julia Choate, PhD, is an associate professor and director of physiology education at Monash University, Melbourne (AUS).

Lisa Cravens-Brown, The Ohio State University

Lisa Cravens-Brown is associate vice chair for instruction in the department of psychology at The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (USA).

Lisa McKendrick-Calder, MacEwan University

Lisa Mckendrick-Calder, MN, is an assistant professor in the department of nursing sciences at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta (CAN).

Susan Smith, Leeds Beckett, University

Susan Smith, PhD, is a professor in teaching and learning and associate director of the Centre for Learning and Teaching at Leeds Beckett, University, Leeds (GBR).

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