2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Feedback is a key element in the development of students’ understanding and evolution in their learning process. Students receive feedback in so many forms; peer feedback; critiques; instructor feedback: graded or ungraded; external feedback from employers or other industries, etc. For this feedback to be valuable, students need to appreciate it, act on it and consider it as part of the learning process. The literature shows that there is a discrepancy between what instructors target with this feedback and how the students perceive it for their learning improvement. Mostly, students tend to focus on grades rather than reflect on the feedback and take actions to improve their learning. Even when instructors give detailed personalized comments in students’ delivered work, the students may not reflect and take actions unless the reflection is part of the grading process.

This paper conducts a review of the different types of feedback students receive in their undergraduate studies in five different programs: architectural engineering, civil engineering, engineering technology management, environmental engineering and geological engineering. In addition, a survey is administered to students to understand feedback techniques used in engineering undergraduate programs. In the survey, students reflect on the types of feedback they received, and indicate which types of feedback they believe are most effective in their learning development. The survey also evaluates how the perception of effectiveness of the type of feedback is influenced by demographic factors. This paper discusses the first stage of the research project. The next stage includes developing an information session for students that is informed by the survey results and the literature. The information session aims at providing students an understanding of how to utilize different types of feedback. Students will then be interviewed a year later to determine if their perception of feedback and how they use it has changed.