The importance of self-assessment in students’ use of tutors’ feedback: a qualitative study of high and non-high achieving biology undergraduates

Little is known as to how students process tutor feedback. In this study, 36 final-year biological sciences undergraduate students from four higher education institutions took part in interviews or focus groups. Students were assigned according to tutors’ judgements as being either high achieving or non-high achieving, and focus groups consisted of a single student type. A thematic approach was used to analyse the interview data. There were overall major differences in how both types of students processed tutor feedback. These differences concerned primarily three areas: (1) self-assessment, (2) the role of external regulation and (3) the role of peer discussion. The findings are discussed in terms of dispositions to learning and conceptions of learning. It is concluded that guidance to students regarding their use of feedback needs to be designed with respect to encouraging the development of students’ self-assessment practices.