Students' Perceptions of School-based Feedback in Vocational Education and Training in Finland: the Case of Students with Learning Difficulties

Abstract

This study explores how students with learning difficulties (LD) in Finnish vocational education and training (VET) perceive and experience feedback. Given the increasing emphasis on inclusivity in Finnish VET, understanding how feedback supports or hinders students with LD is crucial for improving educational outcomes. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected from 49 students across four VET institutions through focus group discussion and individual interviews. Content analysis identified key themes related to the feedback methods, sources, perceptions, and preferred modalities. The findings revealed that individual face-to-face feedback was the most effective and preferred method for providing students with personalized and actionable guidance. Peer feedback was valued in practical tasks for its immediacy, although it lacked depth of teacher feedback. Although convenient, virtual feedback is often delayed and less interactive, which reduces its effectiveness. The study concludes that timely, specific, and personalized feedback is essential for supporting students with LD, and recommends that VET educators prioritize one-on-one feedback and enhance the structure of virtual feedback. These findings contribute to the understanding of inclusive feedback practices and provide recommendations for improving feedback in VET settings.