Structured Feedback Sessions are commonly used to gather information agreed on by a group as a whole while also allowing the maximum individual input. At the same time the sessions are used to establish a working dialogue between students and staff that allows both parties to highlight any issues needing further attention. Individual comments can be related anonymously if a neutral party is used to facilitate the sessions. This method is student focused and serves to promote discussion among participants with a direct knowledge of the course while at the same time allowing issues raised to be addressed as the course progresses.
Focus Groups are seen as a useful method of obtaining an informed overview of a course/module. The purpose of the focus group is to engage in discussion those students who are both willing and able to express comments on their experiences. Students often present a wide range of perspectives when reporting the beliefs and views of others.
Tutorials provide a valuable resource for the exchange of views on the course and university experience as a whole while the personal contact created at tutorials can help tutors to judge the overall level of interest and understanding of the course and course content. Any issues raised by student feedback at tutorials can often be dealt with immediately by the people involved. A wide range of student support issues can be discussed as a result of the personal level of contact between tutor and student.
Log Books are increasingly being used as a flexible method for collecting a wide variety of general and specific information at course, departmental, or university level, while at the same time providing those students involved with a structured opportunity for self assessment and skill development. The information collected in student log books is more personal and much more detailed than other methods and allows staff to gain a detailed insight of how students spend their study time and with what effect.
Course Representatives are usually elected during the first few weeks of a course and are students on a particular course of study who have been elected to represent all students on that course. The role of the course rep is to ensure student opinions are taken into account in the decisions made about changes and improvements in their course and as such they are often the first point of contact for any complaints or comments on the course. Course representatives have the purpose of increasing communication between students, the University and the Union of Students. Course reps are usually given training by the relevant students union to help them in their role of presenting student views to the university and improving communication between the students and academic staff.
One Minute Methods are used to gain feedback on specific issues during a limited period of time and are quick, easy and simple for both students and staff. They can provide an immediate response if results are displayed electronically and provide a variety of fresh ideas if different methods and people are chosen each time.
Self Research is intended to actively involve students in gathering, analysing and evaluating feedback. The informal approach is designed to produce a more realistic, less stilted research while in the process encourage the development of research skills. Confidential peer reviewing increases validity of results.
Informal Chats are used by staff to build trust and encourage ongoing dialogue between staff and students in an informal fashion which can answer immediate concerns and give an instant response. If immediate action is taken the effectiveness of the method is apparent by the students.
Computer Based feedback methods usually take the form of summative questionnaires The main advantage with using a computer based system is the turn-round speed which provides almost instant analysis. Open ended survey questions are increasingly being used with the introduction of word recognition software to speed up the analysis. This method allows staff to survey a large number of students with the minimum outlay in terms of cost and time.
Reflective Journals allow students not only to develop those general skills which will improve learning and teaching but also to acquire many key transferable skills, in the process developing the ability to review the learning process itself.
The Staff/Student Liaison Committee is still one of the most commonly used methods of student feedback collection. It allows elected student representatives to put forward those issues raised by fellow students and provides an opportunity for the student body to participate in the academic decision making process.
Classroom Assessment Techniques are really a combination of quick response methods which allow student feedback to be dealt with as, when, and where it is generated - in the classroom or lecture theatre.
Interactive feedback facilities are predominantly questionnaires, usually web-based and in the majority of cases anonymous. They allow students to participate at a time of their choosing and allow staff to make adjustments to the teaching programme in time to help the current cohort. In many instances such interactive feedback includes chat-rooms and group sessions allowing rapid response to student comments and also allowing all interested parties to contribute.
Gathering Feedback on Teaching and Learning
Center for Teaching Effectiveness
The University of Texas.
Feedback Methods
Bournemouth University.
Summary of Methods and Approaches
European Usability Support Centres.
Staff Resource Pack
University of Kent.
Student Feedback
Examples of Student Feedback Documents
Birbeck College.
Collecting Student Feedback
Indiana University.
Improving student learning through departmental student feedback self-studies
John Cowan
A short paper outlining how we should select our feedback collection methods
Getting Good Feedback
Loughborough University Business School FDTL Project
Teaching Quality Systems in
Business and Management Studies:
the Student Interface
Forum Newsletter
York University
In Depth: Student Feedback Article - Page 6
Assessment and Consultations
Penn State
Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Links to Penn State resources.
Collecting Feedback that improves Teaching and Learning: A Sampler of Effective practices
Penn State
Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Dianne M. Enerson, Kathryn M. Plank, and R. Neill Johnson.
Getting and Using Course Feedback
Centre for Teaching and Learning
Stanford University.
UMaine Today Online - News from the University of Maine
Centre for Teaching Excellence
Very extensive and regularly updated list. Several hundred URLs on a variety of education topics. Worth visiting.