Challenges and opportunities of formative feedback in Ecuadorian education

The study analyzed the importance of formative feedback in the self-regulation of learning by high school students in Ecuador. It was found that, despite the educational reforms that promoted active methodologies, their effective implementation still faced obstacles. Among the main factors that hindered their application were teacher overload, lack of training in feedback strategies, and resistance to methodological change. These elements limited the possibility of students reflecting on their learning and improving their study strategies. From a theoretical perspective, it was shown that self-regulation of learning was key to academic and professional success, as it allowed students to plan, monitor and evaluate their performance. It was evident that structured feedback favoured metacognition and autonomous learning, in contrast to traditional strategies. In the Ecuadorian context, the lack of didactic approaches based on feedback affected the development of critical thinking and student autonomy. Finally, it was concluded that the implementation of formative feedback strategies could improve the quality of education. It was suggested that teacher training and the use of technologies to personalize feedback would be essential to overcome existing barriers. In addition, the need to design educational policies that would facilitate their adoption was highlighted, with the aim of transforming education and preparing students for future academic and professional challenges.