University students' perceptions and experiences of teacher, peer and automatic feedback

This study explores university students’ perceptions and experiences in relation to three different sources of feedback: teacher, peer, and computer‐based (i.e., automated feedback). The investigation, conducted through a structured questionnaire, involved 249 students from three Italian universities. The findings reveal that teacher feedback is perceived as the most valuable source for improving one’s academic work, with a clear preference for written comments over oral ones. Peer feedback is also viewed positively, particularly in its written form, although it is less frequently experienced and perceived as somewhat less impactful than teacher feedback. Automated feedback, especially that generated through learning management system analytics, is likewise considered useful, with levels of perceived effectiveness comparable to those of peer feedback. Among automated tools, students reported the highest appreciation for plagiarism detection software, followed by grammar checkers, and lastly, generative AI chatbots. Despite the high perceived usefulness of all feedback types, students’ actual experiences of receiving such feedback appear sporadic, highlighting a limited systematic integration of feedback practices in university teaching. These findings underscore the need for targeted educational investment to promote a more conscious, structured, and diversified use of feedback. Finally, the development of experimental and longitudinal studies is recommended to further explore how students’ perceptions evolve and to support the effective adoption of advanced technologies in higher education learning processes.