A desire for the personal : student perceptions of electronic feedback

An earlier study conducted into tertiary student perceptions of feedback on their work revealed a mixed response to the idea of electronic feedback. This result was surprising considering the attention given to Generation Y and the preference for digital technology in their lives. This paper reports on the results of a follow-up study exploring a 2010 cohort of Australian tertiary students and their perceptions of electronic formats for providing feedback on their work. Student preferences, experiences, feedback clarity, teacher feedback and feedback from others were all investigated within the overarching context of "electronic feedback" on students' work. A survey was used to collect data about this topic via a combination of qualitative open-ended and closed questions. The findings continue to generate surprise as young, tech-savvy students revealed a preference for the personal via face-to-face and hand written feedback, while seeming to just tolerate electronic formats as a back-up form of feedback. In considering these findings, this paper argues that we cannot make assumptions about how students want to use technology in all aspects of their lives, including the learning environments in which they are engaged. In this hyper-technology aware period, there is a human aspect to feedback that is conveyed through non-electronic forms that students value very highly.