Dialogism in feedback literacies: a critical review

Author First name, Last name, Institution

Tony Myers, Zayed University
Jaime Buchanan, Zayed University

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Abstract

This critical review examines the evolving conceptualization of dialogue in feedback literacies within higher education, presenting a nuanced theoretical framework that challenges traditional understanding of feedback interactions. Through a systematic analysis of 74 peer-reviewed articles, predominantly from the past decade, the paper identifies and categorizes three distinct levels of dialogic engagement: clarificatory, questioning, and critical. These levels align with established models of academic literacies, progressing from basic study skills through academic socialization to transformative critique. Drawing on Bakhtinian concepts of heteroglossia and answerability, the review articulates how dialogue in feedback operates not merely as verbal exchange but as a complex sociocultural process. The paper proposes an integrated matrix that maps dialogue types against student roles and feedback functions, demonstrating how different forms of dialogue serve distinct pedagogical purposes. This reconceptualization expands our understanding of feedback dialogue beyond traditional teacher-student interactions. The findings suggest that effective feedback literacy requires a more nuanced deployment of dialogue types based on specific learning contexts and objectives, while acknowledging the transformative potential of critical dialogue in challenging established academic hierarchies.

ISSN

0260-2938

Publisher

Informa UK Limited

Disciplines

Education

Keywords

academic literacies, Dialogic feedback, feedback literacies, internal dialogue

Scopus ID

105000119931

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

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