Feedback moment: time for action!

(07-02-2023) Were your exam results not in line with your expectations? Try to evaluate for yourself what exactly went wrong. One way to do this is by going to feedback sessions. This is the time to stop and reflect.

Professor Nicolas Dirix, Department of Experimental Psychology, provides an overview of a number of important findings from scientific psychology in the introductory course General Psychology. He also likes to make the concrete translation from his course material to how you yourself can use your memory processes in a positive way.

"In my feedback after an exam, I try to be very specific about the different types of questions. My exam consists of reproduction questions, application questions and insight questions. During the feedback moment, I go over the different chapters of the course along with the different questions from the chapters. Even if you did not pass my exam, this way you can still get an idea why. It is especially important not to be left with a certain frustration where you thought your exam went well, while the results were less."

"And now what? It is not an easy task, but my tip is to maintain the learning. Try to hold the course a little bit every week anyway. We call this distributed learning: learning spread through time. You keep the memory trail fresh that way."

Time for action

Feedback is an important element in the study process. It goes far beyond the usual introductory moments at exam periods. In order to know what forms of feedback exist and how best to ask for, receive and process it, study supervisors at UGent, together with some students, have drawn up a handy tool: the Feedback Guide (in Dutch).

You are not alone! Do you need advice? Drop by your Monitoring Service or Student counselling office