Practicing feedback at school: drawing on research, suggestions for an authentic and sustainable approach

Abstract

Although feedback is integral to teacher professionalism, it is not often practised due to the relevant use of resources or the ineffective taking charge by students. The paper aims to bring to light feedback practices implemented in primary and secondary schools by teachers interested in teaching innovation through an explanatory multi-method research design, which has been realized through a survey and semi-structured interviews. The results show how the feedback practices find their roots in the teachers’ personal and professional experiences and subsequently find vigour through a shrewd knowledge of the school context. Sustainability, in particular, characterizes feedback design and implementation. The results stress that implementing a reflective process is central to reaching feedback effectiveness, as well as the need for greater attention in the preliminary activation of feedback literacy activities and the documentation of the impact on learning.