Asking the students for feedback can help you determine what the students expect of you and allow you the opportunity to meet their needs. Every student has their own way of processing information so you may need to approach a particular topic in a new way so the student can grasp the concept.
It could potentially expose a weakness or an area that can be improved in your facilitation of class.
Student feedback can help an instructor keep focus on the students by allowing the instructor to make useful conclusions from the feedback which could possibly help improve their teaching. Students can provide useful feedback that could possibly allow for change that could better the teaching style as well as the instructor student relationship. Student feedback is important so that the instructor can really know how their students feel and what they really think in which could have a great impact on the indtructor's teachings as well as the student's education.
I try to offer several different options for students to give feedback. I find that students often get so used to the end of term "surveys" that we give students to evaluate classes, that their answers are often very short and lack insight. I like to offer opportunities throughout the course for the students to verbalize. I will use small groups, one on one with the instructor at mid-term, and journal entries as options for the student to voice concerns and give feedback in a non-judgemental , non-threating structure.
The campus surveys the students at the end of every other term to see how we are doing.
I put questions on the final that ask students how they thaught of class and how they think it could be improved. I take these suggestions and see if they can work based on certain guidelines and rules I have to follow.
It lets you understand what the students are getting from your instruction and attitude. Your perception may be totally different from their's.
Hi Edwardo,
So true. We need to really take to heart student feedback so we can continually improve as educators.
Gary
By, Edwardo Mojena
The students feedback always lets you know what your doing is working or not for them. It teaches you to either change the style or to or presents it in a more exciting way.
Hi Niles,
You make a good point about feedback. It needs to be immediate and ongoing. It is also good if the feedback can be two way. The more we get feedback from students the more we can improve out courses.
Gary
If I don't give immediate feedback, then I loose site of the student and the track of the student. If I give feedback right away, I can talk with the student one on one to let them know how they can improve and then I take notes myself. So if I know a student did better when I had a power point, I'll know to try and do power point in future classes.
Student feedback identifies areas the instructor is doing well and should do more of and those areas that might be lacking. I noticed this can change significantly from class to class so I always need to be aware of student perceptions and adjust the presentations of material accordingly.
Hi Nettie,
What a great compliment to your persona as a caring professional that wants her students to succeed.
Gary
Coming from a department where students welcome a listening ear and a word of wisdom comes a long way and the students really show their appreciation by coming back and thanking me for listening and helping them get through the rest of the day.
It helps and tells me what I can do bettert.
By providing overall outlook of instructor strengths and weaknesses in order to provide a plan for improvement in areas where needed
Student feedback helps to keep me focused on my students because the feedback that they give I use in the classroom. I try to teach according to the student needs. Each class of students are different and require different teaching styles. The feedback they give me helps to develop the teaching style that I use.
Student feedback will demonstrate where the comprehension is within the classroom. Feedback demonstrates the areas that need strengthening and reinforced.
It can bring attention to any areas that you may need to focus on more, or that you don't need to focus on as much.
Positive reenforcement is a great progress check to learning and should be done often!
Student feedback helps me see how much they have learned as a whole and then those who have not quit gotten all the info gives me a chance to incorporate some older areas back into my instruction.
