Student feedback can be a wonderful way to identify opportunities for improving one's delivery and learning environment. Feedback provided by students allows an instructor to see the classroom through the eyes of the students and by accepting the feedback in a positive manner, there is a wonderful opportunity for professional and personal development as well as growth to take place.
The positive feedback is always rewarding.
When receiving negative feedback we must keep in mind that some of this is objective and can be used to alter methods and approaches to the course. At times the negative feedback is due to a students personal frustration with the course or the grade received. We must consider this as well to not get too discouraged by these comments.
Hi Richard,
Good point on how to retain focus while making sure you cover the essential content.
Gary
It is not uncommon to lose focus during a large class, or when teaching multiple classes. By having the students offer feedback insures that the students are still engaged and that what you are instructing is still on track. It makes for a great "snapshot" of where you are so you can move forward effectly.
I agree especially when thier comments are very constructive. When this Happened I make changes in my teaching methods.
Hi Ann,
This is an important part of course planning. When you see the class through the eyes of students you gain a perspective that helps in organization, delivery and activities. Each time we teach we gain more insight on how to be more effective and efficient as educators.
Gary
I find that student feedback helps me see things through the students' eyes. Sometime you loose sight or don't remember what it was like to be a student. The comments are helpful alot of the time to make you rethink the delivery or demonstration and how to make it more clear to them. It's a good way to help you improve.
Hi Robert,
Wells put. We can receive, internalize and then profit from the feedback we get from students. This helps us to grow and expand our expertise as educators. I have found that my students give me pointed and positive feedback for the most part. There is the occasional student that vents but I don't let that bother me. I try to learn from what he/she said and let the venting go.
This keeps me positive and excited about teaching.
Gary
How else do you really know how you are doing? Yes, you can judge your performance by using various student outcomes like grades, practical skill levels and job placement. But direct student feedback gives the finer details that make your teaching methods more effective. Examples of feedback would be talking to loud; your lessons are hard to follow, or making the student feels comfortable in your lab or classroom. Patterns emerging from various student groups over a period of time would point out areas for improvement in you instructional approach.
Student feedback can be a powerful tool for instructors. When used properly an instructor can evaluate feedback and implement new teaching strategies to engage the adult learner. Every class has a different dynamic of student and we must be encouraging of all learning styles for diverse students.
the students provide an excellent source of information that I utilize to form and re-form my cirriculum. The information is used as a marker for student retention, course information and content. Some groups get certain amounts of information while others dont.The feed back though has to be real and read through for erroneous responses based on other emotions.. But it still is worth it and is a valuable tool... Chef Mitch Becker
Knowing why a student has taken a particular course and what students expect to get out of a course help me to continually improve not only the content of the course but the delivery of the material. Often instructors get bogged down in what they think is immportant, the timing, the delivery and the quantity of the material that we don't pay attention to what the students want or expect. It becomes about getting the information out there, covering the chapter or test material. Students feel more empowered when their feedback becomes valuable and they have a sense of being a part of their education.
Constructive feedback is the key to learning, we all make mistakes but to learn from our mistakes is what's going to get us ahead and help us progress. Good feedback helps us see the answer more clearly or at least helps us work towards it.
I find that negative comments really send me into a downward spiral. I haven't learned how to handle them as well as some do.
This is a good way to focus on the positive and not let then negative take over.
Chad ;-)
I agree, feedback lets me know the student's preceptions of my strategies. I adjust my teaching
accoriding to these perceptions and make improvements each term.
Hi Mark,
You have a good plan for getting the discussion and feedback going so it will come. You might have several questions ready to go when you go into the end of class feedback session to start the students thinking and talking if they don't come up with discussion on their own.
Gary
Student Feedback is important with being an instructor. It gives me an idea on how I am doing as an instructor. Negative feedback is always hard but it help to better understand students point of veiw. The best feeling is when it positive feedback and they enjoy you as an instructor.
Since the student is the one that is suppose to be learning from the instructor only they can tell you if what you are teaching is actually being learned.
Because listening to what they have to say is important
just discussing things in general puts you in a mind set you can talk to them on.
