When students’ assessments are considered by instructors as a type of formative assessment to be used as an educational improvement tool, feedback surveys in the middle of the semester allow instructors to immediately meet the needs of their students (Chapman & Joins, 2017; Diamond, 2004). In addition, when these changes occur in real time, students see that their comments are valued and better understand how it is used (Sojka et al., 2002; Spencer and Schmelkin, 2002). Sojka et al. (2002) noted that “in the current system, if a teacher changes a course based on student assessments, students who made these comments do not have the opportunity to undergo changes, and this of course strengthens that teachers ignore student assessments” (p. 47). Thus, the integration of an anonymous feedback survey in the middle of the semester would allow students’ feedback to guide educational changes before the conclusion of the semester when prices assessments are generally sent. In this teaching council, I provide a simple structure to make a series of open questions that ask students to provide anonymous comments focused on the efficiency of education which will help instructors meet students of each semester according to their current needs. The Start, Continue, Stop survey is anonymous, delivered in the middle of the semester and only asks students to three open questions:
- What should I start doing?
- What should I continue to do?
- What should I stop doing?
Context
This survey was designed to be administered in the middle of the semester in college levels where small classes are an integral part of the individual learning needs of students and instructors have received educational training. This evaluation activity requires access to anonymized questionnaire software (for example, Google forms) and can take place during face -to -face, online and hybrid lessons, or be completed outside the lessons with Internet access and a computer / laptop, a smartphone or a tablet.
Learning results or objectives
- Instructors will earn real -time comments from students who will inform them about their current uses of various teaching methods and will cause positive changes in courses
- Students will gain autonomy in their learning experiences and will identify their learning needs
Teacher preparation
Create an anonymous survey so that students can complete the semester world by asking the following questions and select the option so that students have enough space to answer with one to two paragraphs:
- What should I start doing?
- What should I continue to do?
- What should I stop doing?
Prepare students to answer this survey by telling them that it is anonymous and that questions refer to teaching and course equipment. It is estimated that 15 minutes should be reserved for students to complete the questionnaire. Before the semester, instructors should spend 10 minutes preparing the investigation and ensuring anonymity, and when the investigation is handed over, instructors must book 5 minutes to explain the instructions and 2 to 3 minutes per student to examine the responses.
Procedure
- Before the start of the semester, instructors must decide on investigation software accessible to students and can receive anonymous responses
- Design the investigation to accept the anonymous and open responses (1-2 paragraphs).
- Write each question so that he can receive his own answer.
- What should I start doing?
- What should I continue to do?
- What should I stop doing?
- Add the survey to the calendar of assignments in the middle of the semester as homework or for a 15 -minute block during lessons.
- Before allocating the survey, explain that it is anonymous and how the comments will be used, state the questions and direct the students to the link.
- In one week, collect and read the answers, and prepare and offer an overview of students who examine collective comments and describe the planned educational changes.
Warnings and alternatives
Students are aware that their comments after the semester can only be taken into account for the advantages of future students, which motivates the use of this survey as a mid-half-semester tool. And although certain research indicates that the semester community assessments lead to an increase in the completion rates of the evaluation after the semester (Chapman & Joins, 2017), it is recommended that no additional credit is attached to the completion of the survey to avoid less critical or thoughtful comments.
The preview prepared for students should be delivered during class hours, while most, if not all, are present, and students must be thanked for their honesty. When examining students’ responses, it is important to remember that although students criticize the effectiveness of education, they do not fully understand the educational justifications. Tackling some of their answers could simply imply explaining such educational justifications.
Conclusion
For instructors who work on objectives to improve their educational efficiency by relying on a pedagogy centered on students, the integration of this type of feedback in the middle of the semester could provide an intervention that is both manageable and successful. The active research of students’ comments during the semester promotes a reactive learning environment which opens up opportunities for students to build their self-efficacy by seeing that their contribution was valued and implemented. In addition, instructors are able to demonstrate their commitment to continue their own improvement and teaching and learning centered on students in a tangible manner for their annual examination and / or promotion portfolios.
The advantages of this approach also extend beyond immediate courses. For students, he strengthens the idea that their voices are heard and valued, which would in turn increase their commitment, their motivation and their sense of the agency. It also allows them to think about their learning experiences and articulate their needs, which is a precious practice in academic growth and could easily translate into their professional career beyond the academic world. For instructors, the ideas obtained by comments from the semester community can lead to more effective teaching strategies, better alignment with student learning needs and, ultimately, to improve educational results. By making real -time adjustments, instructors can solve problems before becoming important problems, which ultimately leads to a more positive overall course experience.
Overall, this practice can help fill the gap between students’ assessments and lessons correction. When students see their comments lead to tangible changes, they are more likely to take future assessments seriously and provide more honest and thoughtful answers. This can lead to a cycle of continuous improvement and mutual respect between students and instructors. This benefits students by giving them a feeling of belonging to their learning process and the advantage of instructors by providing timely information that can clarify their teaching practices. The implementation of this tool would not only improve the current course, but would also contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and a reactive educational environment.
Adele Leon, PHD, is a deputy professor of rhetoric and writing at the Nova Southeastern University, where she founded Soflo’s writing project in 2023. Her research involves structural and organizational problems linked to diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education, reciprocity in community-university partnerships and liberating pedagogies.
References
Chapman, DD and JOINES, JA (2017). Strategies to increase response rates for online end -of -course assessments. International Journal of Education and Learning in Higher Education, 29(1), 47–60.
Diamond, M. (2004). The usefulness of comments structured in mid-term as a catalyst for change in higher education classes. Active learning in higher education, 5(3), 217–231.
Sojka, J., Gupta, Ak and Deeter-Schmelz, DR (2002). Perceptions of students and teachers of education students’ assessments: a study of similarities and differences. College education,, 50(2), 44–49.
Spencer, KJ and Schmelkin, LP (2002). Students’ prospects on teaching and its evaluation. Evaluation and evaluation in higher education, 27(5), 397–409.
(Tagstotranslate) course assessments
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