Engage

These strategies have been found to improve online course evaluation response rates because they educate, engage, and create an open dialogue with students about the important role course evaluations play in students’ overall learning experiences. Research demonstrates that engaged and informed students are motivated to complete course evaluations. You can encourage this engagement by demonstrating your involvement in course evaluations.

In order to protect the integrity of the responses, it is a responsibility for all parties involved to ensure that neither penalties nor incentives are used. This includes, but is not limited to, grades, food, money, gift cards, prizes, and changes in course structure/assessments.

In Class Evaluation Prompts (pptx)

Remind your students in class that the course evaluation session is open for your division

• Evaluation dates are available from your division and are posted here.
  
  
• It’s important that you demonstrate your awareness and interest in course evaluations by sharing information with students about course evaluation timelines. Make in-class announcements, post announcements or messages on Quercus, etc., to communicate that you are aware of the course evaluation process for the course.

Educate your students on how course evaluations are used

• Students are often unaware that instructors review this feedback, so this is an ideal opportunity to tell your students how you use their feedback to enhance your course each year.
  
  
• In 2008, CTSI ran a series of focus groups with students and found that a majority of students were unaware of the ways in which evaluations were used. Knowing that collected data are read by instructors and academic administrators for the purposes of course and teaching enhancement, curriculum design, annual faculty performance reviews, tenure, promotion and teaching awards, can alter how they approach course evaluations. Many students indicated that they wished they’d been informed of this by their instructors.

Build time into your class for students to complete their evaluations

You may wish to provide dedicated time during a lecture for students to complete their evaluations.

Try to schedule the in-class evaluation period during the start of class for students to fill out their evaluations on their mobile devices or laptops (avoid the end of class as students may hastily fill in their evaluation to leave).

Keep in mind that not all students will have access to these devices and data collected by CTSI on students’ attitudes demonstrates that many prefer to complete their evaluations outside of class when they have more time to carefully reflect on their experience in the course.

Talk about student feedback throughout the year

Remember: Whenever you make changes to your course, be sure to inform your students of these changes. This demonstrates that you value student feedback and that you incorporate it into your teaching practice – in other words, you act on their feedback. By demonstrating how you respond to their efforts to provide feedback, you build a dialogue that highlights both yours and the students’ roles in their learning experiences.

Consider administering a mid-course evaluation

This strategy also helps to demonstrate that you are engaged in an informed and adaptable teaching practice that encourages student feedback throughout the course.