The Role of Giving Feedback for Academic Achievement, A Case of Bule Hora University, Ethiopia

Feedback is an essential component in all learning contexts and without feedback of any kind; we would end up doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. This study was aimed to explore the importance of feedback for academic achievement at Bule Hora University, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Management Department. Quantitative and qualitative research design was employed in the study. Qualitative research design was used to explore the perception of respondents toward their educational status and quantitative research design was used to quantify some numerical data that percent and frequency, which was collected in the study college. A total of 47 respondents were used for the study by using the formula recommended by Kather (1985). The study findings indicated that the majority of respondents reflected the importance of feedback 31(65.9%). According to the finding, requirement of feedback was essential on given assessment types even though vary based on types of assessment. Since feedback is highly correlated with time, instructors are enforced to give feedback on time and students should award more about the values and mechanisms to enforce their instructors. The big problem of feedback was in appropriate follow up time by concerned body in that the department conducts teachers’ efficiency at the end of each semester that need to be modified soon.

by teachers since they enhance feedback production, delivery and communication (Race, 2001).
Effective and high quality feedback has been identified as an integral part of the learning process (Ramsden, 2003;Black, 1998). Extensive research, not only underpins the importance of feedback in enhancing achievement levels, but also emphasizes the obligation of academic institutions to effectively integrate feedback in the learning experience (Yorke, 2003). Receiving feedback is inherently related to emotion (Higgins, 2000). This is especially true in the case of bad performance where students may feel embarrassment, guilt, anxiety, lack of confidence, confusion, discouragement etc. Therefore, in order to engage students in the feedback process, one must consider students' feelings and tactics for stimulating motivation. Student motivation is a quality that pervades all aspects of learning and, as a result, it is closely associated with the success or failure of any learning system.
Even though different literatures revealed importance of feedback in every level of academic achievement, still date there is a gap and all academicians do not understand about the values of the concept (Chanock, 2000;Winter et al, 2004;Bailey, 2009). Majority of the students at any level of education or training became initiated or enhanced themselves once they know where they are by the activity they performed or they become solution finder for lower performance after feedback. It is true for Ethiopian higher educational institutions/Universities in general and for Bule Hora University in particular that most teachers/Instructors do not perform feedback accordingly by understanding its role in academic achievement for students. Here we aimed to reveal the role of feedback on academic achievement of students in Bule Hora University under college of Agricultural Sciences in Natural Resources Management Department students. Objectives of the study were as follows: To investigate effects of feedback on students' academic performance  (BHUSL, 2015). Vision of the University is to be one of top five universities at national level and competent in East Africa and beyond by 2030. Its mission is to provide relevant and quality education, to produce competent and ethical graduates, to conduct problem based researches, to give demand driven community services, and also to introduce modern scientific innovation and technology results that contribute to the sustainable development of the country (BHUSL, 2015).

Population and Sampling Units
Population of this research was students of BHU of Agricultural Science College from Natural Resources Management Department. A representative sample was drawn from those students of the study area.

Sampling Procedure and sample size
In this study, Faculty of Agricultural Science was selected purposely due to the researcher was its staff member who initiates him to investigate the issues dealt in this study. Then from the selected faculty's three departments, Department of Natural Resources Management was selected by applying simple random sampling techniques. In order to have a representative sample size for the study, a total list of total Natural Resources Management students were obtained from Registrar Office of BHU. Finally, to conduct the research, a sample size was determined by the formula recommended by Kather (1985). According to the formula used, 47 students were selected from 134 and interviewed in order to infer important conclusions regarding objectives of this research.

Methods of Data Collection
For this study both primary and secondary data were gathered and analyzed. Methods of data collection that used in this study included key informant interviews, focus group discussion and individual student interview. Moreover, secondary data were also collected from official records, research papers, data files from web sites, books, journals.

Data Analysis
In this study both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed. Descriptive statistics analysis methods such as frequency and percentage were applied to draw some important conclusions.
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.11, No.16, 2020 3 3. RESULTS According to (Table 1) explained, respondents were categorized in that 31(65.9%) were assumed positive values of feedback whereas small number of respondents 5(10.6%) respond that feedback has negative impact on their academic performance if low mark enrolled. Few respondents 11(23.4%) responded that they didn't understand either positive or positive values of feedback at all.

Respondents view on the need of feedback on different assessment methods
As respondents' idea, the requirement of feedback on final exam was 43(91.5%), test 41(87.2%) and project work also 40(85.1%). On the other hand, feedback requirement on class work was followed by that on assignment 39(83 %) and 36(76.6 %) respectively. But number of respondents those said feedback requirement on quiz was majority of the students even though their number was lower than who reflected their idea on the other assessment methods 29(61.7 %) as explained by table 2.  According to respondents perception (Table 3) if feedback given immediately, it has high positive values 33(70.2%) and if delayed more than a week it has high negative value 32(68.1%). If the delay of feedback is not more than a week, there may lower negative effects on students' academic achievement 13(27.7%). Low concern by teachers 9 19.1 3

Relationships between feedback and time for academic achievement
Low concern by students 5 10.6 4 There is no legislation enforcing teachers --5 Low follow up from concerned body 11 23.4 6 In appropriate follow up time by concerned body 15 31.9 7 Fear of the consequences for next assessment 4 8.5 According to result in table 4, majority of the respondents agree that there was in appropriate time to follow up the process of giving feedback 15(31.9%) followed by low follow up by concerned body 11(23.4%). Low concern by some teachers 9(19.1%), Low concern by some students 5(10.6%) and fear of consequences for the next assessment were respondents reflection during interviewing.
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.11, No.16, 2020 4. DISCUSSION In this study a total of 47 sample sizes were taken. Of these, 65.9% (n=31) were perceived that taking feedback has positive effects on their academic achievement whereas 23.4 %( n=11) perceived neither positive nor negative effects of the action. On the other hand, only 10.6% (n=5) considered the negative effects of feedback action on academic achievement. Based on the result, researcher revealed that giving feedback plays a major role in enhancing students' performance on their academic issue. This result concurs with previous researches (Bellon et al., 1991) which state 'academic feedback is more strongly and consistently related to achievement than any other teaching behavior. Similarly, Hyland (2000) reported feedback is an essential component in all learning contexts and serves a variety of purposes including evaluation of students' achievements, development of students' competences, understanding, and elevation of students' motivation and confidence. There was some exceptional finding that some respondents perceived the negative effects of feedback on their overall performance. This may linked with emotional reflection on some individuals if they recorded lower mark. This finding was in lined with other researcher that, receiving feedback is inherently related to emotion (Higgins, 2000). This is especially true in the case of bad performance where students may feel embarrassment, guilt, anxiety, lack of confidence, confusion, discouragement etc. as this above author.
According to result gained, giving feedback for academicians was very important in all assessment types (Quiz, test, project work, assignment, class work, final exam) even though the level of requirement was differ. Similar study revealed that assessment needs not only provide feedback to students about their learning, but could and should also provide feedback to teachers about their methods (Hattie, 2009). Other supportive conclusion also drawn by Winne and Butler (1994) provide that, feedback is an essential part of effective learning. It helps students understand the subject being edited text studied and gives them clear guidance on how to improve their learning. Bellon et al (1991) state 'academic feedback is more strongly and consistently related to achievement than any other teaching behavior...this relationship is consistent regardless of grade, socioeconomic status, race, or school setting. Feedback can improve a student's confidence, self-awareness and enthusiasm for learning (Yorke, 2002).
According to respondents perception, if feedback given immediately, it has high positive values and if delayed more than a week it has high negative effects. But if the delay of feedback not more than a week it may lower negative effects on students' academic achievement. The other study revealed that in order to be effective, feedback on formative assessment needs to possess a number of qualities: it needs to be timely, constructive, motivational, personal, manageable and directly related to assessment criteria and learning outcomes (Race, 2001;Juwah et al, 2004;Race, 2006;Irons, 2008).
In some cases, respondents outlined that giving feedback is more important for clever students than lower grade enroller due to fear and tension for next exam. As other researcher confirmed, receiving feedback is inherently related to emotion (Higgins, 2000). This is especially true in the case of bad performance where students may feel embarrassment, guilt, anxiety, lack of confidence, confusion, discouragement etc. This was not the case for highly confident students as they prepare themselves further for the next assessment if feedback given on time as respondents reflected. This conclusion was also supported by Hyland (2000) and Shute (2008) as feedback is an essential component in all learning contexts and serves a variety of purposes including evaluation of students' achievements, development of students' competences, understanding, and elevation of students' motivation and confidence.
The big problem of feedback was in appropriate follow up time by concerned body in that the department conducts teachers' efficiency at the end of each semester. This allowed some teachers pass giving of feedback on time or avoid completely. Supportive ideas by different authors conducted as follow: In order to be effective, feedback needs to possess a number of qualities: it needs to be timely, constructive, motivational, personal, manageable and directly related to assessment criteria and learning outcomes (Race, 2001;Juwah et al, 2004;Race, 2006;Irons, 2008). There was also low follow up and low concern by some teachers according to the respondents' justification. The other finding ensures that, effective and high quality feedback has been identified as an integral part of the learning process (Ramsden, 2003;Black, 1998). Extensive research, not only underpins the importance of feedback in enhancing achievement levels, but also emphasizes the obligation of academic institutions to effectively integrate feedback in the learning experience (Yorke, 2003).

CONCLUSION
There is a lot known about feedback, but there is much more to know about how to optimize its powers in the classroom. Given the high levels of variability in the effectiveness of feedback, more research including the current study is needed on how to ensure feedback in classrooms. It is best if the criteria of success are transparent and understood, and that the student has commitment and skills in investing and implementing strategies as well as understandings relative to these goals and success criteria. Indeed, there is an exciting future for research on feedback. It is becoming well understood that feedback is critical to raising academic achievement of students. In this light, the paucity of feedback in the classroom, at least in the sense of feedback