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Over a hundred colleagues came together at the annual Sussex teaching and learning conference on Tuesday (2 June) to discuss new approaches to academic feedback and advice. 

This is one of the key areas that students consistently say needs to improve and there were lots of practical ideas for helping students to know how they are doing. 

Dr Kate Exley and Professor David Nicol were popular keynote speakers whose knowledge and experience of academic feedback issues set the tone for a stimulating day of workshops attended by delegates from virtually every department. 

Approaches discussed included using Study Direct to provide online quizzes or encourage peer formative assessment; using video to enhance feedback or a software tool to foster critical thinking; and integrating feedback and academic advising. 

Professor Joanne Wright, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education), opened the conference and introduced Professor Nicol, who talked about the principles underpinning the recent Re-Engineering Assessment Practice (REAP) project and led a workshop giving colleagues the opportunity to think of ways of using the REAP principles in their own practice. 

After lunch, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Layzell, announced the winners of this year's Sussex Teaching Awards to warm applause and Dr Exley discussed ways of supporting students to make better use of the feedback they receive before facilitating a packed workshop on 'giving really useful feedback'. 

In the breaks delegates were able to browse the book stand run by John Smith's bookshop and see demonstrations of new learning technologies by GV Media. 

A busy day ended with a chance to give valuable feedback on the conference using a personal response system (PRS). 

Recordings of the two keynote addresses and more ideas from the conference will soon be available online at www.sussex.ac.uk/tldu/conference