TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘Feedbackpacking’

T2 - mapping the journey towards independent L2 student feedback literacy

AU - Davies, Joseph Arthur

PY - 2024/10/7

Y1 - 2024/10/7

N2 - Generally, there are two kinds of travellers: package tourists and independent backpackers. The journey towards second language (L2) student feedback literacy shares many features with independent backpacker travel, and there are benefits to viewing student feedback literacy this way. Despite feedback playing a fundamental role in higher education learners’ development, students and teachers are currently dissatisfied with feedback. This research uses the metaphor of independent backpacker travel to explore how L2 learners can become more effective users of feedback through feedbackpacking. Specifically, seven Chinese undergraduate English for Academic Purposes students at a Sino-foreign joint venture university were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically to highlight salient features of students’ journeys towards L2 student feedback literacy and to demonstrate that for such learners, this journey is perhaps more complex than current understandings assume. By linking students’ self-reported feedback practices to the concept of independent backpacker travel, the practical insights reported will benefit higher education practitioners across disciplines who wish to develop their L2 learners’ feedback literacy. The results emphasize the importance of context, culture, and language for effective feedback, highlighting the benefits for L2 learners to adopt a mindset of feedbackpacking in order achieve L2 feedback literacy.

AB - Generally, there are two kinds of travellers: package tourists and independent backpackers. The journey towards second language (L2) student feedback literacy shares many features with independent backpacker travel, and there are benefits to viewing student feedback literacy this way. Despite feedback playing a fundamental role in higher education learners’ development, students and teachers are currently dissatisfied with feedback. This research uses the metaphor of independent backpacker travel to explore how L2 learners can become more effective users of feedback through feedbackpacking. Specifically, seven Chinese undergraduate English for Academic Purposes students at a Sino-foreign joint venture university were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically to highlight salient features of students’ journeys towards L2 student feedback literacy and to demonstrate that for such learners, this journey is perhaps more complex than current understandings assume. By linking students’ self-reported feedback practices to the concept of independent backpacker travel, the practical insights reported will benefit higher education practitioners across disciplines who wish to develop their L2 learners’ feedback literacy. The results emphasize the importance of context, culture, and language for effective feedback, highlighting the benefits for L2 learners to adopt a mindset of feedbackpacking in order achieve L2 feedback literacy.

U2 - 10.1080/02602938.2024.2410305

DO - 10.1080/02602938.2024.2410305

M3 - Journal article

JO - Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education

JF - Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education

SN - 0260-2938

ER -