The effects of supervisors’ formative feedback: Reflections of students in a postgraduate programme

Abstract

Traditionally, higher education produced knowledge for the social good,until globalisation shifted its role to the production of economicallyproductive knowledge. This shift placed immense pressure onuniversities to increase the number of research-active staff and to equipstudents with skills to produce commodified knowledge. Consequently,supervisors’ feedback became central to improving research outputs inthe global economy. This study investigated the effects of supervisors’formative feedback on postgraduate students enrolled in a University ofTechnology in South Africa. Data were collected through questionnairesand analysed thematically. The social constructivist theory informedthis study. Students perceived formative feedback to have positive andnegative effects. These results have implications for the manner inwhich supervisors provide feedback to their students.