Mid-Semester Feedback Program FAQ

Is it required?

Participation is voluntary. The MSFP provides consultation for gathering student feedback midway through the course, while there is still time to consider adjustments. It is a formative process, and entirely confidential for instructors and anonymous for students.

How is it implemented?

This semester, CTI staff will use the Individual Student Teaching & Learning Questionnaire to gather feedback for all participating faculty.

What are the steps for the Individual Student Teaching & Learning Questionnaire?

  1. We begin with a brief contact with a CTI consultant (either in person or by phone).
  2. Next, we set up a Qualtrics survey and email you the survey link to be shared with your students. We monitor the survey completion and notify you of the response rate. We close the survey after one week, or when the response rate reaches 70%.
  3. Finally, we meet with you to share students’ feedback. The CTI consultant provides you with a report with student comments, ordered by research-based themes related to teaching and learning.

How do I share the survey with students for the Individual Student Teaching & Learning Questionnaire?

We will email you with a link to the online survey, which you can then share with your students via email or as an online assignment. Ideally, the survey will be distributed during the fourth or fifth week of the semester, but we can accommodate surveys administered later for courses with later start dates.

The survey is administered electronically using a survey tool called Qualtrics. A few strategies for encouraging high response rates have been effective in the past:

  • Provide five minutes of class time for students to take the online survey on their own laptops or mobile devices
  • Explain to students why their feedback is important, and how you will share your findings with them
  • Describe the type of feedback that is most useful to you
  • Offer an incentive for participation (e.g., if we reach a 90% response rate, I’ll add 2 points to your next prelim)

After the survey has been shared with students, what happens?

When students begin responding to the survey, Qualtrics will notify CTI. We will contact you with the response rate a few days later. After closing the survey, we will schedule a meeting with you to review the findings the following week.

What happens during this conversation with CTI staff?

During the brief meeting, we will present major themes and data tables, and address any questions you might have. We can also provide additional information about related technological or pedagogical strategies, or other CTI programs.

How do I respond to my students?

Responding to student feedback in some way is critical. We typically suggest thanking students for their input, noting any suggestions you will act upon, and/or explaining the reasoning behind course characteristics that elicited concerns. Suggesting strategies can also be helpful. For example, if students report that they are often confused, invite them to ask questions more often.