ABSTRACT
Feedback gives us information about the results or consequences of what we do and is as crucial in teaching and learning as in any other activity, forming part of the loop or cycle of self-regulation. The concept comes from the field of ‘cybernetics’, a term derived from the Greek word ‘to steer’, and that is precisely its function: it enables us to stay on course so that we eventually reach our chosen destination. Most feedback in teaching is verbal (either oral or written), though non-verbal hints and body language may also provide some signals. Students receive their main feedback from teachers but also get some from other students or people outside the situation, such as parents or colleagues. Feedback can relate to everything from one’s informal participation in the group through work on classroom tasks and course assignments (Section 5) to performance in exams and assessment (see Sections 23 and 24). While students can do many things for themselves, feedback is one thing they usually need to get from someone else.
