Editorial Students' Voices in Formative Assessment Feedback: New Insights from Research Topic Contributions

Pernille Fiskerstrand^1*Fabienne Van Der Kleij²Wenke Mork Rogne¹

• ¹Volda University College, Volda, Norway
• ²Australian Council for Educational Research, Camberwell, Australia

The Research Topic, "Students' Voices in Formative Assessment Feedback", explores students' experiences and emotions in formative assessment feedback. The nine topical articles contribute valuable new insights. This editorial provides an overview of the included articles and synthesizes their contributions. Article Overview Andersson et al. (2025) investigated students' engagement with assessment feedback in an intervention study involving Swedish 10th-grade students. Findings showed a positive association between implementation of formative assessment through ongoing feedback cycles and students' autonomous motivation. Brooks et al. (2024) examined the effects of a teacher professional learning intervention using a student-centered feedback model in Australian primary schools on student perceptions of feedback helpfulness. Findings highlight the value of combining strategies to help students self-regulate their learning using feedback. Brandmo and Gamlem (2025) conducted a systematic review examining student perceptions of feedback and feedback impact. Feedback quality had the greatest impact on student learning outcomes. Findings point to the value of tailored, informative and action-oriented feedback. Lipnevich et al. (2025) examined the choices made by higher education students in the USA when rejecting feedback provided to them. Reasons for rejecting feedback mainly related to the "message", which was perceived as unclear or overwhelming. Moltudal et al. (2025) studied writing in the 4th grade in Norway, investigating students' perceived usefulness of AI-feedback compared to peer feedback. Findings highlight the role of trust in digital devices and how the social class hierarchy affects whether students feel competent in providing peer feedback. Rienits (2024) investigated how medical students assess their peers during formative clinical assessments. Findings indicate that students report learning as much or more from being the assessor as they do from being assessed. However, the author questioned whether this experience leads to deeper learning or merely deepens knowledge about the test. The systematic review by Solis Trujillo et al. (2025) examined graduate students' perceptions of formative feedback. Findings highlight the crucial role of formative feedback, potentially strengthening both learning and academic engagement. Westphal et al. (2025) investigated the perceptions of first-year university students in Germany regarding oral assessment and whether they view oral grading as a reliable measure of their competence. Findings suggest that the lack of transparency reduces students' perceptions of oral grading as valid. To et al. (2025) undertook an action research project involving three teachers in six classes of 10th-grade students in Singapore. Findings indicate that feedback tools stimulate students to verbalise their understanding of the feedback, enhancing students' autonomy. Main contributions Feedback design Several common findings can be identified from the nine studies, highlighting students' views on constructive assessment feedback. Students want feedback that is clear, understandable, and action-oriented, provided in dialogue with a teacher or a peer they trust personally and academically (Brandmo & Gamlem, 2025; Brooks et al., 2024; Solis Trujillo et al., 2025; To et al., 2025). Moreover, use of multiple strategies to activate students, along with fostering a deep understanding of success criteria, appears to substantially impact on students' perceptions of feedback helpfulness (Andersson et al., 2025; Brooks et al., 2024; Lipnevich et al., 2025; To et al., 2025). Anchoring feedback in familiar success criteria may also influence students' perceptions of assessment validity (Westphal et al., 2025). Feedback engagement When teachers encourage students to actively engage with formative feedback, it can increase students' autonomy and promote deeper learning (Andersson et al., 2025). Being able to learn autonomously is particularly crucial for students approaching graduation and entering the workforce (Solis Trujillo et al., 2025). Empowering feedback targets cognitive and metacognitive processes, offering feedforward to enhance students' self-regulation skills (Solis Trujillo et al., 2025). This aligns with Brooks et al. (2024), who advocate for meta-conversations with students about the purpose of feedback, encouraging them to view themselves as agentic learners. Furthermore, several studies linked students' engagement with feedback to teachers' sensitivity to students' psychological needs (Brandmo & Gamlem, 2025; Lipnevich et al., 2025; To et al., 2025). Peer feedback Findings from the topical studies indicate that peer assessment can enhance students' familiarity with assessment conditions and improve their feedback strategies (Moltudal et al., 2025; Rienits, 2024). However, implementing peer assessment can be challenging, as students may feel uncomfortable or lack trust in their peers' competence or intentions (Lipnevich et al., 2025; Rienits, 2024). Moreover, Brooks et al. (2024) found that peer feedback was sometimes preferred by students over teacher feedback. They emphasised the importance of clearly defining success criteria and ensuring students understand what constitutes success before engaging in peer assessment. Brooks et al. (2024) and Solis Trujillo et al. (2025) both identified links between peer assessment and the development of self-assessment skills. Technology provided feedback Further, the published articles offer new insights into the application of AI in assessment feedback. AI can offer timely, personalised feedback to a certain degree (Solis Trujillo et al., 2025). In addition, Moltudal et al. (2025) demonstrated that AI-generated feedback facilitated dialogic feedback interactions to a greater extent than traditional peer feedback. However, personalised teacher feedback is not replaceable (Brandmo & Gamlem, 2025; Moltudal et al., 2025), as personal relationships and shared understandings between participants in the feedback process are essential (Brandmo & Gamlem, 2025; Lipnevich et al., 2025). AI does not possess teachers' sensitivity or ability to interpret student needs within specific contexts. Still, Moltudal et al. (2025) found students trusted computer software, differing from Lipnevich et al. (2025), who noted the importance of personal trust in feedback sources. Similarly, Solis Trujillo et al. (2025) reported that technology-based feedback supports self-assessment and fosters autonomous learning. Further research Based on study findings, we identify three areas needing further research: (1) AI-assisted feedback and student emotions, (2) long-term impacts of formative classroom practice changes, and (3) improving integration of formative feedback into assessments using various modes, including oral participation. Future work should extend the findings of this Research Topic, placing student voice at the centre to keep formative assessment research driven by the needs of learners.