I just completed my feedback instrument - a summative assessment I will give to my PO-101 students at the end of the term. It got me thinking about feedback instruments in general.
In my department, there are two student surveys we use. One is a paper based form completed by students and submitted to their employers. In general, they tick some boxes, sign their names, and rarely provide any written feedback. No employers have ever contacted the department with any feedback about the surveys.
The second survey we use is a computer based form created by the institutional Research and Planning department. The questions are general enough to be used college wide. While instructors get a copy of the results if they meet a minimum class size threshold, the questions and responses are so general there is limited value for the instructor to implement any changes in curriculum or delivery.
A class specific feedback instrument seems like a great idea. I can ask my students about my classroom, books, learning materials, and about my teaching strategies. I hope that after spending a term together the students will give some detailed feedback about what they liked and didn't like. It would give me validation to alter my classroom delivery and suggest changes to books and materials. The goal is to improve student success and move the program from good to great. Student feedback in various forms is critical to this process.
In my department, there are two student surveys we use. One is a paper based form completed by students and submitted to their employers. In general, they tick some boxes, sign their names, and rarely provide any written feedback. No employers have ever contacted the department with any feedback about the surveys.
The second survey we use is a computer based form created by the institutional Research and Planning department. The questions are general enough to be used college wide. While instructors get a copy of the results if they meet a minimum class size threshold, the questions and responses are so general there is limited value for the instructor to implement any changes in curriculum or delivery.
A class specific feedback instrument seems like a great idea. I can ask my students about my classroom, books, learning materials, and about my teaching strategies. I hope that after spending a term together the students will give some detailed feedback about what they liked and didn't like. It would give me validation to alter my classroom delivery and suggest changes to books and materials. The goal is to improve student success and move the program from good to great. Student feedback in various forms is critical to this process.