Exploring the connection between external feedback and disengaged learners in urban environment

Background Managing human systems needs to build effective learning environment. The foreign business community (FBC) in Thailand initiated a pilot project a decade ago to explore the relation between external feedback and disengaged students in one urban school as part of building future workforce. Objective This exploratory study intends to identify specific activities of external feedback that earlier inspired strong students’ positive reactions on learning. Earlier follow-ups during the pilot phase showed higher social interactions, more positive feeling of psychological and physical safety, and greater learning interests with external feedback. Method Data was collected via open-ended questionnaires and analyzed using Content Analysis (CA) and Thematic Analysis (TA). Results The findings suggest that students react positively to interactions with outside individuals and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of second-loop feedback in shaping students’ mindset and fostering the change in their disengaged behavior. In addition to teacher-student relationship, school-business collaboration offers constructive feedback that significantly connects with students’ learning behavior. Conclusion External feedback constitutes a critical component in addressing school disengagement within this specific urban context. These findings offer a starting point for developing future studies of learning within complex human systems, including a workplace.