Rethinking Feedback: Is It Really Feeding Forward?

Feedback is widely recognised as one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Yet in many educational settings, including the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector, its potential is often underutilised, misinterpreted, or lost in practice. The question we must ask, then, is not merely are we giving feedback? but is it truly feeding forward, supporting learners to make meaningful progress in future tasks?

The Problem with Traditional Feedback

In many instances, feedback is reduced to a summative comment or a justification of a grade. Such feedback is often generic, retrospective, and lacking in actionable detail. Learners receive it after the point at which it could meaningfully inform their work, rendering it ineffective for improvement (Sadler, 1989). This is especially prevalent in high-pressure, qualification-driven environments, where time constraints and workload pressures contribute to a “tick-box” feedback culture.

Moreover, research suggests that much feedback is misunderstood or ignored by learners. Carless and Boud (2018) argue that feedback is often “opaque, unengaging, or decontextualised,” and that unless learners are actively involved in interpreting and applying it, feedback fails to drive progression.

What Is ‘Feeding Forward’?

The concept of “feeding forward” refers to feedback practices that support future learning rather than merely commenting on past performance. Effective feedforward provides clear, specific, and timely guidance that learners can act upon in subsequent tasks (Wimshurst & Manning, 2013). It emphasises the process of learning and development, shifting the focus from marking to dialogue, from correction to growth.

In vocational and further education contexts, this principle is particularly relevant. Learners are often assessed on practical competencies, employability skills, and project-based outcomes. Feedback must therefore be constructive, developmental, and embedded in the learning journey, not simply delivered as a final judgment.

Characteristics of Effective Feedback

According to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF, 2021), effective feedback should be:

• Timely – delivered while the learning is still fresh and relevant

• Specific – linked directly to learning outcomes and success criteria

• Actionable – includes clear guidance on how to improve

• Dialogic – encourages learner reflection and response

• Balanced – focuses on strengths as well as areas for development

When these principles are embedded into teaching and assessment practices, feedback can become a powerful tool for learner empowerment and self-regulation.

The Role of the Educator

Teachers in the FE and Skills sector play a pivotal role in fostering a feedback-rich environment. This means designing assessment tasks that allow for formative feedback opportunities, creating space for learners to revisit and revise work, and promoting peer- and self-assessment as part of a broader feedback culture (Black & Wiliam, 1998).

Additionally, educators must consider the emotional impact of feedback. Learners in the FE sector often come from diverse backgrounds, with varying levels of confidence, prior attainment, and experience with formal education. Feedback must therefore be delivered sensitively, recognising its affective dimension and potential to either motivate or demoralise (Rowe, 2017).

Moving Towards Sustainable Feedback

Boud and Molloy (2013) argue for a shift towards “sustainable feedback” models, where learners develop the skills to understand and use feedback independently of the educator. In this model, feedback is not an isolated event, but a continuous dialogue embedded in the curriculum. Such an approach aligns with the broader aims of lifelong learning and professional development that underpin the FE and Skills sector. Practical strategies for embedding sustainable feedback include:

• Using exemplars and success criteria to build assessment literacy

• Encouraging feedback dialogue through tutorials and review sessions

• Scaffolding self-assessment tools and reflection tasks

• Integrating feedback opportunities within project-based or portfolio work

Conclusion

Feedback remains one of the most underleveraged yet powerful tools in the educator’s toolkit. To realise its full potential, practitioners in the FE and Skills sector must move beyond retrospective commentary and embrace practices that truly feed forward, guiding learners to improve, adapt, and progress.

At Teacher Training UK (TTUK), we believe that assessment and feedback should be integral to the learning process, not separate from it. Through targeted CPD, mentoring, and reflection, educators can reframe feedback not just as information, but as transformation.

References

Black, P. & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment. London: King’s College London School of Education.

Boud, D. & Molloy, E. (2013). Rethinking Models of Feedback for Learning: The Challenge of Design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38(6), 698–712.

Carless, D. & Boud, D. (2018). The Development of Student Feedback Literacy: Enabling Uptake of Feedback. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(8), 1315–1325.

Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). (2021). Teacher Feedback to Improve Pupil Learning: Guidance Report. [online] Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk

Hattie, J. & Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112.

Rowe, A. (2017). Feelings About Feedback: The Role of Emotions in Assessment for Learning. In D. Boud, E. Dawson, & R. Tai (Eds.), Assessment for Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge.

Sadler, D. R. (1989). Formative Assessment and the Design of Instructional Systems. Instructional Science, 18(2), 119–144.

Wimshurst, K. & Manning, M. (2013). Feedforward Assessment, Exemplars and Peer Marking: Evidence of Efficacy. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38(4), 451–465.