Last revised on 07/31/24 by cah.
Overview
This post provides recommendations for collecting formative and summative student survey feedback to inform and improve your teaching and course design.
Formative Student Surveys
Students are often asked to complete end-of-course evaluations that don’t personally impact their learning experience because the data is only used to improve subsequent course offerings. Consider using formative student surveys to inform and improve your in-progress teaching and make course improvements that impact current students. This type of survey is best administered two to four weeks into a fourteen week semester or approximately 20-25% into a course. It can be re-administered mid-semester, if needed; just be mindful of survey overload. eCampus has an Initial Course Survey (zip file) that can be imported into a HuskyCT/Blackboard class and edited to meet your feedback needs. (See Blackboard’s Help Center page Import Course Packages.)
Summative Student Surveys
Summative course surveys can effectively inform and improve subsequent course offerings. eCampus also offers a Final Course Survey (zip file) that can be imported and edited in a HuskyCT class site. In addition, the University administers the official online Student Experience of Teaching (SET) during the last 2-3 weeks of classes (prior to finals). Both survey tools can help faculty make informed course improvements. (Note: Faculty may add questions to the SET.)
Survey Response Rates
Often good response rates require faculty encouragement. eCampus recommends that faculty write an Announcement to students to request survey completion. Example language is available in the article Communication Templates for Online Courses.
Survey Results
Survey results in HuskyCT are accessed through the Gradebook by going to the survey’s row menu and selecting Download Attempts. (See Blackboard’s Help Center page Item Analysis.)
Additional Resources
Related Resources
- How to Assess Your Teaching (Carnegie Mellon University Eberly Center)
- Mid-semester Formative Feedback (UConn CETL)
- Creating Forms in Ultra (UConn Knowledge Base)
- Student Experience of Teaching (UConn BPIR)