Feedback on learning with generative artificial intelligence in university students

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.45547

Keywords:

feedback, formative evaluation, generative artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, Ladder of Feedback, university students

Abstract

Assessment for learning has become increasingly important in university teaching, particularly regarding the feedback process. However, there is still a perception of student dissatisfaction with the quality of feedback provided by faculty, highlighting the need to innovate in feedback strategies. This study aimed to explore the pedagogical and technological relevance of integrating Wilson's Feedback Ladder with generative artificial intelligence, specifically GPT-4o, to strengthen formative feedback in university students. The study was conducted using a qualitative and exploratory approach in two phases. First, a prompt was designed and validated using the Delphi method with the participation of eight experts in assessment and artificial intelligence, applying it to seven state-of-the-art language models. In the second phase, the validated prompt was implemented in two university courses of different nature, Assessment for Learning and Data Structures, integrating automatic feedback into the Moodle platform. The results showed that the experts agreed on the suitability of AI-mediated Wilson’s Ladder and highlighted the superior performance of GPT-4o. At the classroom level, students valued the clarity, usefulness, and immediacy of the feedback, although they identified limitations in the tool's lack of contextualization and impersonal tone. It is concluded that the integration of Wilson’s Ladder with generative artificial intelligence represents a promising innovation, but one that requires disciplinary adjustments, teacher supervision, and careful attention to the human dimension of feedback in e-learning contexts.

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Author Biographies

María Verónica Leiva-Guerrero, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, PUCV (Chile)

Doctor in Didactics in Educational Sciences. Full Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV). Her research addresses educational policies, with an emphasis on management, school leadership, and evaluation, areas in which she has developed relevant projects and publications.

Ignacio Araya Zamorano, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, PUCV (Chile)

Doctor in Computer Science and Assistant Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV). His research focuses on artificial intelligence, particularly on solving optimization problems, the use of heuristics, and machine learning techniques.

Rafael Escobar Collins, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, PUCV (Chile)

History Teacher, Master in Evaluation, and Master in Educational Innovation. Specialist in digital technologies for learning, instructional design, teacher training, and the development of digital competencies in higher education.

Francisca Silva Castro, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, PUCV (Chile)

Computer Civil Engineering student at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV). She has served as a teaching assistant in Data Structures and in Algorithm Analysis and Design. She is interested in user experience (UX) design, as well as in the study of statistics, artificial intelligence, and optimization.

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Published

2026-01-02

How to Cite

Leiva-Guerrero, M. V., Araya Zamorano, I., Escobar Collins, R., & Silva Castro, F. (2026). Feedback on learning with generative artificial intelligence in university students. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 29(1), 241–267. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.45547

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