Tim,
You make a good point about how student feedback helps instructors to be able to customize their instructional delivery to the current group of students. This is what brings about instructional improvement.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Octave,
Student feedback is one of the most important ways we can improve our course delivery. The feedback helps us to improve and expand our course efforts.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Student feedback can help instructors to teach effectively in a number of ways. Students know how they learn best. Feedback regarding learning style and teaching strategy can help the instructor adjust his style to the learner. An instructor can get feedback if he has a "bag of tricks" three or four strategies for the lesson and he allows the students to choose the one that best fits the consensus of the group.
Feedback from students is important because it a reflection of what material was, or was not, comprehended in a course. Consequently, it can help one assess how well the subject was presented, and if there were areas in the teaching method that could be improved or tailored for a particular group of students. After all, the purpose of education is to get through to the students; therefore, their opinions are of the utmost importance.
Joshua,
Good model to follow and it results in improved instruction as a result. Also, with the changes that are made you are able to remain fresh in your delivery.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
CAROL,
Thank you for these comments. They are helpful due to the unique aspects of how you deliver instruction and get student feedback. You have developed a way to benefit from the feedback even in an online situation.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Dan,
I use the 3X5 card feedback method myself and it is extremely helpful to me. I can target the comments and then work to improve my instructional efforts in these areas.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
John,
Student feedback is valuable for instructor growth. Reviewing both the positive and negative comments gives a foundation for instructional improvement just as you have said.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In my school we have a new theory class every ten weeks. With different students every ten weeks, with their own dynamic, I start out each session trying to improve on the last one, while focusing on the learning needs of the new class. I consult with the previous theory teacher and get a good idea of there learning process.
I use the previous classes test results to figure where I need to make sure I focus my teaching. Then I use their test results in my class to gauge their level of understanding.
Then half way through I ask my students how they are feeling so far about what they have learned. I ask them to write down their assessment of my instruction, I make sure it is anonymous, and use those responses to improve my delivery. I then do the same at the end of the ten weeks so I can prepare for the next class.
This has kept me ever evolving my teaching style and delivery.
Getting feedback directly from a class allows you to make changes at the midpoint of a class. This can help you re-energize things to avoid student or teacher burnout.
I am an instructor in a virtual classroom (online education). Consequently, student feedback is written (not verbal) and has limitations. Feedback questions are standardized and there is no flexibility in the collection of feedback for special circumstances. So the interpretation of student feedback can be misconstrued easily.
It is my experience (in the online environment) that the student feedback received is either very positive or very negative.... A student must take the extra time and extra effort to enter a specific portal and complete a written assessment. Since feedback is optional (and not required), the students who are "motivated" to provide feedback have strong feelings that they want to express.
However, student feedback is important for the instructor to understand how to be a better and more effective teacher. Feedback helps to identify areas for improvement and for change. Feedback also establishes "strengths" and area where the instructor has been particularly effective. Feedback leads to learning and growth.
Students learn differently and as such the instructor must be aware of what works for each particular class. The dynamic of classes change as students change. The instructor should be willing to adapt. I once taught the same topic/course to three classes during a single session. Each class had a different dynamic with students that learned differently. It was my duty as an instructor to augment the presentation of the material in a manner that fit the students.
We need to know if we are getting through. A post course evaluation does not give help to an instructor during the course. Using the 3x5 feedback cards from students anonymously will give an instructor after every lesson or project instant feedback on how he or she is doing. We need to provide students encouragement and feedback, so why would we not want their feedback?
Many times I am surprised by the student feedback of a class. Some feedback is positive and a few have been negative. I like to use the negative and learn from these to improve the delivery of the content. As an instructor who is passionate about my subject, I find it beneficial to listen and adjust to the changing learning environment.
Student feedback helps me to keep my focus on my students by understanding their needs and catering to those needs to improve myself and in turn keep them motivated daily.
Peter,
Such an important part of our professional development. Student feedback can really helps us to shape and reshape our instructional delivery to be even more effective.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My program does student surveys every six weeks whith each class to get student feedback so each instructor can focus on whats important to their students .
It is the students feedback that gives the instructor the direction he/she should take to get to the GOAL, which is to help the student understand the material that is taught. In essance, the student are our guide to their success.
Kit,
Feedback is an important part of our professional development. We need to provide ways to keep the feedback coming in from our students beyond just end of session course evaluations.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
When the students is giving their feedback, it lets me know if my students is focus on the lesson.
