Student Surveys

[HigherEd7]

Has anyone ever done their own student survey during the semester to see how the course is going and if the students have any suggestions or complaints? Or feedback on an assignment they have completed.

[Ruralguy]

I would bet almost all of us have. What sort of guidance are you seeking?

[theblackbox]

Routinely, about three weeks into the semester. Enough time for them to have feedback with meaningful time for me to make (small) adjustments in response to it. They feel heard, I change what makes sense, and we're all happier with the rest of our time together.

[mamselle]

I've posted several times that I include an evaluative 1/4-page note with their midterm grade and all their other grades, which I hand out and go over with them right after midterms are graded.

It includes a "projected" (this is what you'd get if I were to call this your final grade in the course now) grade as well.

In a couple cases it's led to reasonable conversations, in one case a conversion to better work, in another, worse attendance (they never showed up again despite promises to do so), and in another, the person thought they were doing well enough to be able to skate through the rest of the term, didn't turn things in, and dropped a grade when their work up to that point had been stellar.

I'd still do them, though, because they offer a sense of moorings for the students as well as for me, and it provides a defensible means of showing I've been in touch with those in trouble--in fact, with all of them--when final evals arrive.

M.

[HigherEd7]

I would bet almost all of us have. What sort of guidance are you seeking?

I was wondering if this tool is worth doing? I am thinking about doing a couple in my online courses this semester, I would like their feedback on some of the course assignments or ways to improve them. It gives them an opportunity to express their feelings and an opportunity to be heard.

[Ruralguy]

Seems reasonable to me, but better not to do too early or too often. A month in might be best, every few assignments.

[Sun_Worshiper]

I always mean to do this, but never seem to get around to it.  I have taken a mid-course survey as a student, and I have also heard that these can be a good way to boost your evals.

[Katrina Gulliver]

I've posted several times that I include an evaluative 1/4-page note with their midterm grade and all their other grades, which I hand out and go over with them right after midterms are graded.

This is also a survey for students to fill out, to tell you what they think of the course?

Midpoint surveys are not something I've done, basically because places I've taught all require classes to go through a detailed approval process in the dept (down to the dates of quizzes, etc) before semester starts. I can't make adjustments midway through anyway.

[spork]

I've heard positive reactions by some professors to the ABC method.

[mamselle]

I've posted several times that I include an evaluative 1/4-page note with their midterm grade and all their other grades, which I hand out and go over with them right after midterms are graded.

This is also a survey for students to fill out, to tell you what they think of the course?

Informally, yes, in that I ask for feedback on what is working, etc.; it's not a written form but a conversational discussion.

Changes in things like a slight re-balancing of time spent on, say, homework coverage vs. conversational exchanges in French class, or discussion of related music/dance events tied to art history course content have been the most frequent points of interest.

Having a moment to voice their views helps, and doing that with the summary of their grade status in the class at that time puts it into clearer relief, perhaps.

Time is usually too short to do a full-out survey, although it might be worth building one in...a last question on the midterm, for example, could work.

M.

[marshwiggle]

For people who have done surveys during the term, (which are not anonymous), how do the results compare to anonymous end-of-term evaluations? Does it seem that students with concerns feel comfortable expressing them?

[spork]

For people who have done surveys during the term, (which are not anonymous), how do the results compare to anonymous end-of-term evaluations? Does it seem that students with concerns feel comfortable expressing them?

There are various ways to set up anonymous surveys of students, via Canvas or Google Forms, for example. I use Google Forms quite a bit for this.

I find my own early term surveys to be far more useful than the university's end of term evaluation. The latter elicits comments like "Dr. Spork didn't teach anything. He should not be a professor," while the former does not.

[HigherEd7]

You can set this up in your LMS and it is very to use for online courses. There are a few videos on youtube that tell you how to set it up.