Developing resilience and discernment to feedback

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi37.1715

Keywords:

feedback, peer learning, presentations, assessment design

Abstract

Resilience is an important graduate skill, especially in the context of heavy social media influence (Samari et al., 2022; Sutton, 2024). When any form of writing or media is shared, it has the potential to be subject to feedback or comments. Amidst the affirmative feedback, there may also be a critical element. Whilst potentially constructively intended, those sharing content should be aware of the prospective impact and that these can be irrelevant or harmful (Mercer and Gulseren, 2023). 

The significance of resilience in learning is well-documented (e.g., Cassidy, 2015) and includes how students might be affected by feedback (Wu and Bailey, 2018; Zhan et al., 2024). In this context, we often expect students to be able to interpret and apply feedback comments, which is a valuable graduate skill (Dyers, 2023; Cohan, 2024; Leder et al., 2024; Silén et al., 2024).

In examining these issues, our study focused on an assessment which developed two important skills: (1) adopting resilience in receiving feedback; and (2) confidence in evaluating, amongst numerous comments, which may need action and identifying what action. 

A group assessment in an Economics undergraduate course was used for this purpose, with a set task to be completed and presented to the class. Once completed, each student was asked to write feedback about two other presentations. Once all peer feedback was given/received, each individual student was invited to write a reflective response to the feedback they received. Reflection was facilitated by structured questions, which were then analysed. 

This session shared reflections on assessment design, explained the process of enabling peer feedback, outlined the reflective questionnaire, and shared the results of the analysis of the reflective responses. The evaluation found that students provided thoughtful peer feedback and used the received feedback effectively. They discerned what aspects to improve on, and which ones to continue. End of course evaluations showed that students appreciated the opportunity to give feedback, reflect on received feedback, and to develop confidence in generating their own inner feedback.

Author Biographies

Lovleen Kushwah, University of Glasgow

Lovleen Kushwah is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at the University of Glasgow and a trained Integrative Psychotherapist. She earned her PhD in Economics from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and is a Fellow of RET. Her scholarship interests focus on embedding mental wellbeing in the curriculum, Education for Sustainable Development, and inner feedback generation. She has worked with third-sector organisations, including Glasgow Council on Alcohol, Recovery Across Mental Health, and The Energy and Resources Institute (India), applying her expertise in economics and wellbeing to real-world challenges.

Geethanjali Selvaretnam, University of Glasgow

Geethanjali Selvaretnam is a Professor of Economics Education at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. She has held academic roles at the University of St Andrews, Royal Holloway, and University of Essex, and has worked as an accountant and at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Her SoTL interests include multicultural skills, sustainable education, Generative AI for learning, inner feedback generation, inclusive and learning-based assessments.

References

Cassidy, S. (2015) ‘Resilience building in students: the role of academic self-efficacy’, Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1781. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01781

Cohan, D.J. (2024) ‘Cultivating discernment. A skill for achieving greater clarity, attention, and decision-making’, Psychology Today, 8 April. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/social-lights/202404/cultivating-discernment (Accessed: 28 June 2025).

Dyers, A. (2023) ‘Learn to discern: what would you rather have, great answers or great questions?’, Curious Lion, 12 May. Available at: https://curiouslionlearning.com/learn-to-discern/ (Accessed: 30 June 2025).

Leder, J., Schellinger, L.V., Maertens, R., van der Linden, S., Chryst, B. and Roozenbeek, J. (2024) ‘Feedback exercises boost discernment of misinformation for gamified inoculation intervention’, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 153(8), pp.2068-2087. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001603

Mercer, M. and Gulseren, D.B. (2023) ‘When negative feedback harms: a systematic review of the unintended consequences of negative feedback on psychological, attitudinal, and behavioral responses’, Studies in Higher Education, 49(4), pp.654-669. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2248490

Samari, E., Teh, W.L., Roystonn, K., Devi, F., Cetty, L., Shahwan, S. and Subramaniam, M. (2022) ‘Perceived mental illness stigma among family and friends of young people with depression and its role in help-seeking: a qualitative inquiry’, BMC Psychiatry, 22, article number 107. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03754-0

Silén, C., Kilström, D. and Karlgren, K. (2024) ‘Discerning and acknowledging diverse types of feedback in clinical practice – a way to develop feedback literacy’, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 50(1), pp.159-171. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2024.2369604

Sutton, R. (2024) ‘Realizing resilience as a graduate student’, Inside Higher Education, 29 April. Available at: https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/career-advice/carpe-careers/2024/04/29/why-and-how-develop-resilience-graduate-student#:~:text=Resilienceallowsgraduatestudentsaffirmative,theseinaproductivemanner (Accessed: 30 June 2025).

Wu. Y.W. and Bailey, B.P. (2018) ‘Soften the pain, increase the gain: enhancing users' resilience to negative valence feedback’, Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, Volume 2, Issue CSCW, article number 186, pp.1-20. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1145/3274455

Zhan, Y., Wan, Z.H., Chen, J. and Wang, M. (2024) ‘How is student resilience affected by teacher feedback, teacher support, and achievement goals? A mediation model based on PISA 2018 survey data’, The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 33, pp.671-682. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-023-00764-8

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Published

30-09-2025

How to Cite

Kushwah, L., & Selvaretnam, G. (2025). Developing resilience and discernment to feedback. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (37). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi37.1715

Issue

No. 37 (2025): Special Edition, ALDinHE Conference Proceedings and Reflections

Section

Conference Proceedings

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