Formative assessment and feedback in higher education: Preparing Spanish academics to teach in a digital world

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the conception and use of formative assessment and feedback by faculty teachers in the context of a training course held at a Spanish university. Open-response data from 42 faculty teachers were analyzed using an inductively derived coding framework and thematic analysis. Analysis was organized around four main themes: 1) faculty teachers' beliefs about assessment, 2) main barriers or constraints that hinder feedback implementation, 3) associated benefits and 4) integration of digital technology to enrich formative assessment. The main results show different conceptions and myths about assessment and feedback, as well as a number of barriers to implementation. Furthermore, the training provided reveals that faculty teachers regard the feedback process, enhanced by digital tools, as beneficial.