Being able to request and use feedback is a crucial skill in higher education – but how do we teach it to students? Although students are expected to take an active role in the feedback process, surprisingly little research has explored how feedback-seeking can be systematically taught—until now!
A new study by Senior Lecturer Baraa Khuder at the Department of Communication and Learning in Science investigates a pedagogical approach to developing students' ability to seek and use feedback (FSB – Feedback Seeking Behavior) in STEM subjects. The method is based on self-regulated learning and is integrated into the academic writing process.
“By teaching students to monitor their own feedback and actively request input from both teachers and peers, we can strengthen both their learning and independence,” says Baraa Khuder.
The study was conducted over an extended period with 96 students in 16 groups, where they documented their process through drafts, reflections, and self-evaluations of the method. The results show that systematic instruction in feedback-seeking helps students to:
- Ask more targeted questions to receive relevant feedback,
- Identify weaknesses in their own work, such as unclear descriptions, and
- Develop strategic skills for prioritizing areas of improvement in relation to project goals in collaborative settings.
Students adopt a more engaging and practical approach to feedback, which enhances their critical thinking. At the same time, the method benefits everyone, according to Baraa Khuder:
“Teachers gain a proven pedagogical model that integrates feedback-seeking into coursework, encouraging deeper engagement and more meaningful revisions.
Researchers receive a concrete, evidence-based pedagogical and theoretical framework for studying feedback-seeking in practice.”
This method not only improves the feedback process—it also transforms students' attitudes toward learning. By actively asking questions, they develop a growth mindset, where mistakes are not seen as failures but as tools for learning.
“And the best part? The further they progress in their development, the more insightful their questions become—a clear sign that feedback-seeking is a skill that grows over time.”
This study is just the beginning of rethinking how we teach feedback in higher education.
“By systematizing feedback-seeking, we turn feedback into a tool for active learning and self-regulation—giving students better conditions to develop,” she says.
Questions about the research?
- Senior Lecturer, Language and Communication, Communication and Learning in Science