The effects of feedback interventions on performance: a historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory

This academic journal article sets out the authors’ findings and methods of an investigation into the effectiveness of feedback interventions on pupil performance. The authors suggest that since the beginning of the century, feedback interventions have produced negative – but largely ignored – effects on pupil performance.

Following a meta-analysis of over 20,000 observations the authors found that on average feedback interventions improved pupil performance, though roughly a third of intervention did decreased it. They suggest that these findings cannot be explained by sampling error or existing theories, and propose and test a preliminary theory of feedback interventions to explain these findings. 

The central assumption of their theory is that different interventions change the focus of pupils' attention along three hierarchical levels: from focusing them on task learning, to task motivation, and finally meta-tasks (including self-related) processes. The results suggest that intervention effectiveness decreases as the focus of the intervention moves up the hierarchy closer to the self and away from the task.

Having read the study David Didau said that it ‘represents a gold standard of how to conduct a meta-analysis. ‘