Student Feedback on Teaching in Schools: Using Student Perceptions for the Development of Teaching and Teachers

This open access book provides a comprehensive and informative overview of the current state of research about student perceptions of and student feedback on teaching. After presentation of a new student feedback process model, evidence concerning the validity and reliability of student perceptions of teaching quality is discussed. This is followed by an overview of empirical research on the effects of student feedback on teachers and instruction in different contexts, as well as on factors promoting the successful implementation of feedback in schools. In summary, the findings emphasize that student perceptions of teaching quality can be a valid and reliable source of feedback for teachers. The effectiveness of student feedback on teaching is significantly related to its use in formative settings and to a positive feedback culture within schools. In addition, it is argued that the effectiveness of student feedback depends very much on the support for teachers when making use of thefeedback. As this literature review impressively documents, teachers in their work - and ultimately students in their learning - can benefit substantially from student feedback on teaching in schools.

“This book reviews what we know about student feedback to teachers. It is detailed and it is a pleasure to read. To have these chapters in one place – and from those most up to date with the research literature and doing the research - is a gift.”

John Hattie

Wolfram Rollett is a Professor of Empirical Educational Research at the University of Education Freiburg and the Freiburg Advanced Center of Education (FACE). Previously he worked as a researcher and lecturer in the field of Educational Science and Psychology at the Universities of Potsdam, Braunschweig, Dortmund, and Wuppertal. His research focuses on school development processes, the quality of extra- and co-curricular activities, educational effectiveness, and classroom composition. 

After studying pedagogical and educational sciences and completing a teacher training course, Hannah Bijlsma has been working as a researcher (PhD) at the University of Twente (the Netherlands) and as a primary school teacher (grade 1). Her research focuses on measuring teaching quality and on the use of student perceptions of teaching quality in school contexts. In 2016 she founded a professional association for academic primary school teachers, of which she has been chairman for about five years. She is now a board member of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) and a board member of the EARLI SIG on School Effectiveness and Improvement. 

After more than 10 years of working as a grammar school teacher, school development consultant, and in teacher training, Sebastian Röhl has been an academic assistant in the department of educational science at the University of Education Freiburg and is postdoctoral researcher in the Institute of Education at Tübingen University (Germany). Among other areas, he conducts research in the fields of teaching development and teacher professionalization through feedback, social networks in inclusive school classes, as well as teachers’ religiosity and its impact on professionalism. In addition, he is the director of an in-service professional master's study program for teaching and school development.