Who we are

Who we are

Get to know the faces behind Feedback emPower Tools, and find out how we can support your organisation

Dr. Kieran Balloo
Dr. Kieran BallooBSc(Hons) MSc PhD SFHEA
Kieran is an academic based in Queensland, Australia. He works for Southern Cross University, teaching and leading units in academic literacy and study preparation skills. He draws on theory and data to propose research-based innovations to support educators and students.
Dr. Rob Nash
Dr. Rob NashBSc(Hons) PhD SFHEA NTF
Rob is a cognitive psychologist based in England. He works for the National Institute of Teaching, carrying out professional development research with school teachers and leaders. He has extensive experience of training students and educators in evidence-informed feedback practices.
Prof. Naomi Winstone
Prof. Naomi WinstoneBSc(Hons) MSc PhD PFHEA NTF
Naomi is a cognitive psychologist based at the University of Surrey in England. Using her research into the processing and implementation of feedback, she works with schools, universities and organisations worldwide to embed learning-focused feedback into practice.

Our research background

As the creators of Feedback emPower Tools, we are highly published academic researchers and experts in the psychology and practice of feedback. Through our research we tackle questions such as: Why do people so often ignore feedback that is designed to help them? What makes receiving feedback so difficult? What tools and resources can help people make better use of the feedback they receive?

We use a range of methods for answering these kinds of questions, from focus group discussions, surveys, and document analyses, to memory experiments and eye-tracking. Our research has been supported by generous funding from various public and charitable sources, and we have published it in dozens of academic journals and books, as well as in magazine articles and blogposts.

We have worked with countless stakeholders around the world – from students and teachers, to organisations and policy makers – to help them surmount the challenges of giving and receiving effective feedback. We frequently give talks and occasionally undertake consultancy work on these topics.

Our research background

As the creators of Feedback emPower Tools, we are highly published academic researchers and experts in the psychology and practice of feedback. Through our research we tackle questions such as: Why do people so often ignore feedback that is designed to help them? What makes receiving feedback so difficult? What tools and resources can help people make better use of the feedback they receive?

We use a range of methods for answering these kinds of questions, from focus group discussions, surveys, and document analyses, to memory experiments and eye-tracking. Our research has been supported by generous funding from various public and charitable sources, and we have published it in dozens of academic journals and books, as well as in magazine articles and blogposts.

We have worked with countless stakeholders around the world – from students and teachers, to organisations and policy makers – to help them surmount the challenges of giving and receiving effective feedback. We frequently give talks and occasionally undertake consultancy work on these topics.

Our Consulting

Our Consulting

If you’re looking to strengthen the feedback culture in your organisation, we can help. We can offer expert consultancy, workshops, and bespoke professional development and training days/events focused on Feedback emPower Tools, as well as on wider approaches to effective feedback practice.

We have extensive experience of working with schools, universities, and other organisations, and our sessions are designed to be practical, evidence-informed, and adaptable to your context. Whether you want to improve staff confidence, diagnose why feedback in your organisation isn’t working, or embed sustainable whole-organisation strategies, we can work with you to build meaningful and lasting impact.

To discuss how we can support your team, please contact us at .

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

UKRI Economic and Social Research Council logo

The development of Feedback emPower Tools was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, via the University of Surrey’s ‘Impact Acceleration Account’. The vision for this website was to build upon, and to make more inclusive, the Developing Engagement with Feedback Toolkit that we published in 2016, which was funded by the Higher Education Academy (now AdvanceHE).

We are grateful to our funders, and to the other organisations and individuals who supported our development of this website, and who offered invaluable feedback (which we hope we engaged with well!). These include Ben Robertson; Karen Luck; James Munro; Julia Warsap; Will Salmon; staff and incarcerated students within Queensland Corrective Services; and staff and students at CUC Clarence Valley and CUC Southern Downs.

UKRI Economic and Social Research Council

The development of Feedback emPower Tools was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, via the University of Surrey’s ‘Impact Acceleration Account’. The vision for this website was to build upon, and to make more inclusive, ideas from the Developing Engagement with Feedback Toolkit that we published in 2016, which was funded by the Higher Education Academy (now AdvanceHE).

We are grateful to our funders, and to the other organisations and individuals who supported our development of this website, and who offered invaluable feedback (which we hope we engaged with well!). These include Ben Robertson; Karen Luck; James Munro; Julia Warsap; Will Salmon; staff and incarcerated students within Queensland Corrective Services; and staff and students at CUC Clarence Valley and CUC Southern Downs.