Towards student-centred feedback practices: evaluating the impact of a professional learning intervention in primary schools

This paper reports on the evaluation of the final year of a three-year professional learning intervention underpinned by a student-centred model of feedback. School leaders, teachers, and students in 13 Australian state schools participated in the research. The professional learning was contextualised in Year 3 English, with a focus on writing. Data from school leader, teacher and student interviews, researcher field notes, classroom observations and student assessments were analysed to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Findings show the professional learning intervention was positively valued by teachers and school leaders. Evidence from multiple sources suggests that although there was variability in the nature of implementation, teachers and school leaders overall reported substantial changes to knowledge, skills, and classroom practices. Importantly, the results highlight substantial improvements in student self-regulation and writing achievement, providing evidence of the intervention’s positive impact.