Dear Colleagues,
As we approach the half-way mark in the fall semester, it seemed fitting to write about mid-semester feedback in this month’s “Teaching Tips” column. While the feedback we receive through our course instructor surveys (CIS) may provide future direction for our teaching, conducting a mid-semester check-in often increases the likelihood of receiving more specific and honest feedback. Students know that this feedback has the potential to benefit their learning and their experience in the course—and your response to feedback demonstrates your commitment to their success.
"Research shows that soliciting feedback throughout the term allows you to improve even challenging classes, strengthen student learning, enhance student motivation, and positively alter student attitudes toward you and the course" (Davis, 2009, p. 461).
Tips for Collecting Student Feedback
Anonymous surveys often lead to the most useful feedback from students. That said, there are times when I find it important to get personalized feedback—for example, if I want to ask students about their overall well-being and their learning needs in my course. If I ask this question, I want to be able to follow-up directly with students and offer opportunities to meet (as appropriate). Last year, I used an electronic survey form that was anonymous, but the last question let students link to another form to provide their name if they wanted me to know specific information about themselves, their well-being, and/or their learning.
Survey questions should be simple and direct. They can include a combination of multi-choice (or Likert-scale) and open-ended questions. Most importantly, there should be questions that open the door to feedback that is actionable.
Depending on your particular goal(s) in collecting this feedback, you might ask about:
· Clarity and understanding of course requirements
· Ability to navigate Canvas and easily access course materials
· Use (or frequency of use) of course resources or tools
· Your responsiveness as an instructor
· Understanding of assignment grades and overall performance in the course
· Comfort in sharing opinions and contributing to course discussions/activities
· Aspects of the course that students value, as well as those that could be changed
I am sharing a sample of a midsemester check-in I’ve used with undergraduate students in previous semesters (see below). I often pull several questions from the CIS and then include open-ended questions that allow me to generated feedback I can act on. I tend to change this survey each semester depending on the course and student group—and the type of feedback I currently have the capacity to accept, absorb, and integrate.
For more sample questions, the Faculty Innovation Center (FIC) has an excellent resource on mid-semester feedback. There are also detailed planning questions to support you through this process. Whether this is a practice you already use or you’re dipping your toe into midsemester feedback, I think you will find the FIC resource helpful. 
