Making internal feedback explicit: harnessing the comparisons students make during two-stage exams

In two-stage exams, students complete some academic work individually then immediately the same again in small groups. Prior research shows that perceive dialogue they engage at group stage aids their individual learning. Outcome studies also suggest engaging benefits student This investigation takes a different perspective. Learning during exams is conceptualised as deriving from internal feedback processes, with comparison seen mechanism fuels these processes. To investigate this interpretation, were asked to write commentary on own learning exam. The intention was make explicit would naturally occur stage, compare earlier performance against and unfolding output. Analysis showed not only generated content process but self-regulatory feedback, of higher quality than, went beyond, comments teacher provided. yields new insights into nature, scope power how improve students’ such sequences.