Towards an idealized model of feedback uptake: longitudinal development of feedback literacy from a social constructivist perspective

One of the potentials and challenges for the implementation of effective feedback processes lies in promoting and enacting purposeful student uptake of teacher written feedback. The theoretical framework in addressing this puzzle emanates from the inter-related concepts of social constructivist approaches to feedback and student feedback literacy. Feedback from a social constructivist perspective is underpinned by social and relational interaction in co-constructing inferences from feedback information. Feedback literacy represents the capacities to use feedback information productively. The aim of this longitudinal qualitative inquiry is to analyze how an undergraduate student interprets and uses teacher written feedback to enhance her work and her feedback literacy over a four-year period, in collaboration with a co-researcher. The main data sources comprise all written feedback provided by teachers over the four-year period; co-constructed analysis and action planning; enactment of action plans; and the student’s reflective journal of feedback experiences. The findings are presented in three chronological stages to demonstrate the main feedback literacy development of the student in appreciating the value of feedback, enhancing emotional resilience in response to critical feedback and managing feedback uptake. Experiencing successful feedback uptake is identified as a significant factor in enhancing self-efficacy and supporting the development of student feedback literacy. On the basis of the longitudinal evidence, an idealized model of feedback uptake is proposed underpinned by social constructivist principles. The originality of our contribution to social constructivist feedback research lies in illustrating how its principles are implemented over time.