Peer Feedback and Student Motivation: Unraveling the Relevance of Individual Characteristics of Student Motivation

• In Event: Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Individual Differences in Feedback Perceptions, Use, and Effectiveness

Abstract

Objectives
Feedback can foster learning and achievement (Hattie & Timperley, 2007)—but only if it is used by students (Van der Kleij & Lipnevich, 2020). Indeed, prior research suggests that students do not always make sufficient use of received feedback (Winstone et al., 2016). For this, differences in the feedback students receive might be critical, but at the same time, differences in individual characteristics, especially students’ motivation, might explain differences in how students perceive and use feedback (Fong & Schallert, 2023). Accordingly, we aimed to investigate the role of individual motivational characteristics when receiving peer feedback with/without motivational focus, highlighting value-related aspects of motivation.
Theoretical Framework
Hence, this study anchors in the motivational frameworks of Achievement goal theory (Urdan & Kaplan, 2020) and expectancy value theory (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000). Following achievement goal theory, students pursuing mastery goals, specifically task goals (striving to do tasks as well as possible) and learning goals (striving to develop competencies in working on tasks) experience more joy revising their tasks (Huang, 2011), might perceive feedback as helpful for their learning and cope more adaptively with errors as they might view errors as chances for learning and improvement rather than as threat (Grassinger & Dresel, 2017). On the other hand, whether students feel like they gain enjoyment from the task (intrinsic value), whether it is important for them to do well (attainment value) and/or when the task relates to their future goals (instrumental value) might influence their feedback perception and use as well.

Method and Data Sources
We conducted a field study with higher education students (see Figure 1) who submitted an assignment and revised it based on the feedback they received. After a baseline survey assessing motivational aspects regarding the weekly assignments, students were randomly assigned to two groups with or without a focus on motivational quality in the peer feedback they received. After they received their feedback, they indicated how they perceived their feedback (perceived helpfulness, joy in revision) and how they used it (adaptive coping with errors, effort in revision), and we assessed the quantity of revision.
Results
In total, 366 students (294 female; Mage=20.22, SDage=2.55) fully participated in the study (see Table 1 for descriptive statistics). Structural equation modeling did not show any effect of motivational focus on feedback perception or use, but task and learning goals and task value did (see Figure 2 for results).
Significance
Motivational quality of feedback was not associated with any aspects of feedback perception and use, but task value and mastery goals partly emerged as predictors for perceived helpfulness of feedback, joy during revision, and adaptive coping with errors, as well as effort in feedback use. To support students in effectively utilizing feedback for learning, it is therefore essential to consider not only the quality of the feedback itself but also individual factors such as the value they attach to the task and the goals they aim to achieve. Consequently, not only peer feedback provision should be thoughtfully supported, but also peer feedback reception.

Authors

• Melanie V. Keller, University of Augsburg

• Markus Dresel, University of Augsburg

• Martin Daumiller, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich