I love questions, as this assists me to think and not become stale in my subject matter, I slightly pleases me if I go and have to research my answer prior to answering, because this tells me that the student is effectively thinking and applying the subject matter beyond the basics.
It helps me to focus on material that the studetns are not understanding. It might be the way that I have presented it. I may have to find another meaning in which to convey the material to the student. Our focus as teachers should be the students and enabling them to be successful in the courses you teach.
Student feedback lets me know what they heard me say instead of what I think I said. Feedback also tells me what I left out of the instruction.
Hi Christian,
Good list of the benefits of student feedback and how it can improve your instructional planning and delivery. Thanks for sharing this list with us. It will be of help to other instructors looking for ways to use student feedback.
Gary
Frequent student feedback is invaluable to me to ensure that:
* we are moving at the 'right' pace.
* that students comprehend new concepts and material.
* we maintain a healthy level of interactivity so that students stay alert and motivated.
* topics are covered clearly and sufficiently.
* I don't miss opportunities to detect and elaborate on interesting points students bring up and may impact motivation to learn in a positive way.
The student surveys at the end of the term are also valuable to me in planning the next term. I also try to gather student feedback between classes informally, often on an individual basis, allowing more shy students to be heard.
Student feedback allows you to evaluate if your current teaching strategy is effective. When students provide feedback, you can adjust your teaching methods to a more appropriate format if you are not maximizing student's needs.
Hi Thomas,
So true! We instructors need to look for ways to receive and process student feedback for instructional improvement. The more we listen the better we are going to be able to target the needs of our students.
Gary
student feedback is the voice of the customer. If the customer does not like the product you serve, if you can not correct the perceptions, then you lose the customer. I feel teaching is also like that. If a student feels disenfranchised by the course work, the teaching style, the curriculum, etc. this causes them to go defensive. This also leads to loss of respect and drives them to be aggressively antagonistic by bringing frustrations to a boil, most often where you dont want them.. e.g. "I'm gonna quit!" With attention to honest and truthful student input, the instructor can better meet the needs of the students.. and provide an atmosphere conducive to letting students take chances in their learning... I always tell my students, "Here is okay to make mistakes; here is okay to be incorrect.. out in the real world, a mistake is often taken as malpractice.. something not wanted and costly in the long run. Therefore, participate, and be happy to learn.. I know I am... " and, it actually works.... so feedback from us is important for student growth and student retention. Feedback from the student allows us as instructors to know the mind of our customer... and satisfying the needs, not generally the wants, of the student allows for transference of skills, and knowledge in a working intellectual environment.
The student is the customer. It is they who are to be given information and skills. If the customer doesnt like what they are buying, then they wont buy it. Neither will students sit in a classroom day in and day out and go through the same hum drum without change.. therefore, with student feedback, you can see where you are not meeting their educational needs, and can refocus yourself to provide a more empathic, energetic, clarified, and expert presentation of the material that you as a professional became so eager to learn.
It allows the instructor to be aware of students and their needs. Feedback needs to be used constructively.
I can teach the same material to two different classes but only one might understand it right away. With student feedback, you can see which class needs extra help.
Student feedback can help you keep on track as a measure of their understanding. I try to use their feedback and answers to questions as a gauge to adjust the things I am presenting.
Hi Jonathan,
Good comments about the need for quick and accurate feedback to students. You have outlined the benefits of getting results back to the students. I know it makes teaching so much easier if my students know where they are at in the course and what they need to work on to improve.
Gary
I have seen that getting the students practicals and graded quizzes back as soon as possible helps quell student anxiety. The longer you take, the more anxious they become (which is not always a good thing). Some teachers state “there is no specific guideline on when you should return grades to students.†While there may not be a specific guideline, I try to follow the Golden Rule “treat them like I would want to be treated.†I wouldn’t want to receive my quiz score after I take an exam with the same material. If I was the student and I’m not given feedback quickly, I couldn’t make any changes prior to an exam.
I have seen this happen, where instructors grade practicals/quizzes after exams and wonder why the students made the same mistakes. If feedback was never given, students assume they were right the first time around. If I have the time to give them positive criticism sooner, I know the students have ample time to turn around a bad score. Giving advice and pointers sooner eases up student worries and this allows for happy students.
Feedback helps the instructor know that the student understands what is going on in the classroom.
Hi Ken,
The informal ongoing student feedback is very important for keeping the students engaged and focused on the course. If they don't have the opportunity to have input they can withdraw and the instructor may be missing something that can be changed and bring the students back into the learning circle.
Gary
Student feedback can come in a variety of forms. The one we most think of is the "official" feedback from student evaluations. Obviously this is the most available conduit to improvement in our courses through direct, albeit anonymous feedback. On the other hand, "indirect" student feedback can come from other avenues. When a number of students have the same concerns, or uncertainty as to course/assignment requirements that in a certain way is "feedback" that something needs to be adjusted. I watch these signs and adjust my course accordingly.
Ken Orgill
I am huge advocate for student feedback. I really believe that students really need to be invested to learn. If they have no voice they will not trust or invest in their learning experience. I not only ask for feedback, but I also make visible changes based on their feedback. I really believe that models professional behavior.
Feedback is a great tool to learn. Having student feedback gives you an idea if the students are getting it. Also, if you the instructor are not delivering the information effectively.
Hi Dan,
How to you get feedback from your students? Once you get it how do you use it to make modifications in your instruction?
Thanks for your input on this.
Gary
