Feedback in K-12 and higher education: Educators' perspectives

Feedback is essential in education, yet often studied within isolated educational sectors. This study investigates feedback practices across K-12 and higher education by surveying 254 educators to explore perceptions of effective feedback, student barriers, and methods for tracking feedback impact. Our findings reveal that higher education educators prioritise cognitive and structural feedback elements, emphasising actionable suggestions and timely delivery. In contrast, K-12 educators focus on social-affective aspects, such as feedback tone, to support a nurturing learning environment. Despite these sector-specific preferences, discrepancies exist between educators' beliefs and practices, highlighting a need for enhanced feedback literacy.