Assess or give feedback to learning
Intro
My main experience of giving feedback in my role as a technician is through exercises in class. I set exercises in my workshops to help cement the topics that we have been exploring. These are usually short filming/camera/lighting exercises after which we watch and critique the results together.
Evaluation
When holding a critique of the students’ work in my classes, I encounter two main obstacles. Firstly, how to create a safe and open space where all individuals feel comfortable evaluating each other’s work. Secondly, how to ensure students engage with the task properly. I have noticed that students can sometimes have a negative response to feedback, either becoming defensive or talking over the comments being made. At times, they may disengage or undermine what is being asked of them.
This resistance to feedback aligns with the challenges outlined by Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006), who emphasize that feedback should encourage self-regulated learning rather than feel judgemental. When students view feedback as a means of improving their own work rather than as criticism, they are more likely to engage constructively. Therefore structuring feedback sessions in a way that promotes reflection and dialogue is crucial in overcoming these challenges.
Moving Forward
The idea of a critique, unless fully explained in the given scenario is the first thing to address. The word “crit” itself can be divisive, often carrying a negative connotation (Race, 2001). It is therefore important that I address this before the critique begins. I must take responsibility for defining both the parameters and the language used by myself and the students during the critique. By setting clear expectations and clarifying what good performance is, I can help calm nervous students who may be apprehensive about evaluation while reinforcing that this is a safe and open space for learning. Self critique is a valuable tool that students must develop a resilience toward as artists. To formalise this in my practice, I have begun incorporating this approach into my workshop plans, ensuring that these discussions are structured and that I set ground rules verbally before we begin the critique.
Self-criticism and critique of others’ work is a daily reality in the film and TV industry. As Race (2001) discusses, self and peer assessment can play a crucial role in developing independent learning skills, making students more accountable for their progress. By centering the class around this reality, I am helping to shift student focus from viewing feedback as criticism to seeing it as a part of their growth. Drawing from my own industry experience, I introduce examples from professional settings outside of UAL to further illustrate this point, helping students move past their defensive attitude. To formalise this, I have started developing external briefs and handouts, often repurposing old industry briefs to make it feel more relevant to them. This framing of importance helps focus students, as it makes the task feel less like “just a technical exercise.”
In the future, I want to extend these exercises outside of the classroom, getting students to use the content which they shoot in class and working on it as homework. When given a purely in class exercise which is just a technical test, students often treat it as throwaway. By reframing the purpose and assigning tasks that result in meaningful creative output, I believe this will shift student attitudes. Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006) highlight that effective feedback should provide opportunities for students to close the gap between current performance and desired outcomes. By ensuring that students see value in their work, they will be more likely to engage with feedback and apply it meaningfully.
Refs
Race, P. (2001) A Briefing on Self, Peer and Group Assessment. Assessment Series No.9. York: Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN).
Nicol, D.J. and Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006) ‘Formative assessment and self‐regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice’, Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), pp. 199–218. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070600572090