The Role of Feedback on School Performance

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the role of feedback on school performance. A total of 444 respondents including 217 males and 227 females were sampled from twelve secondary schools in Dodoma region in Tanzania. In the sample, 218 respondents were drawn from the group of high performing schools and 226 from the group of low performing schools in the regional ranking list of school performance in the Form Four National Examinations. The comparison between the two groups was made based on the extent to which the component of feedback was given in schools. Data were collected using questionnaire which assessed whether feedback was given in schools. The comparison also focused on completion of the planned topics, administering quizzes and tests, timely provision of performance feedback, correction of the performance feedback, re-writing of the exercises or tests after correction of performance feedback and re-marking of the re-written exercise or tests. Data were descriptively analysed to obtain frequencies and percentages for each group. The findings revealed that about 35.4 percent of students from the group of low performing schools reported a maximum of 57.14 percent of unfinished topics as opposed to 17.4 percent from their counterparts the high performing schools who reported the same proportion of unfinished topics. Therefore, it was concluded that failure to complete topics as per the syllabus and feedback provision are among the determinants of school performance. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for future research. The paper recommends that teachers should stick to their professional responsibilities and ensure completion of topics and timely provision of feedback to students.