Using differentiated feedback messages to promote student learning in an introductory statistics course

In light of the regulatory focus (RF) theory, an intervention was designed to promote student learning through differentiated feedback and then implemented in an undergraduate statistics course. Sixty-seven students were randomly assigned to receive the feedback that either fit or did not fit their RF. Results revealed a significant interaction between an individual's RF and the type of feedback received after controlling for the student's prior achievement. In particular, the students demonstrated better performance when receiving the fit feedback than the non-fit feedback. Further analysis of different performing groups showed that this identified interaction was significant only for the middle performing students, but not for the lower or higher performing groups. The findings suggested that the student's RF may moderate the impact of feedback on students' statistics performance, and this moderation pans out differently depending on the student's previous achievement.