Putting it into Practice: Creating your own Feedback Survey
Activity: Design Your Feedback Survey
Now that you’ve explored the value of collecting student feedback, reviewed the process, and learned about different strategies and tools, it’s time to start drafting your own feedback survey. Let’s create a student-friendly midterm formative feedback survey that you can easily adapt for your class. You can build your survey using tools like Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, or your institution’s Learning Management System (LMS). Aim to include a mix of open-ended questions for detailed insights and scaled questions for quick, quantitative feedback.
Set aside 20-30 minutes for this activity.
Begin by reviewing your Reflection Activity Worksheet and the Mid-Term Formative Feedback Survey Template and Sample Questions. Recall the steps and recommendations outlined in the module and think about which questions would best suit your teaching context and goals. You can also search online or use Generative AI tools to help brainstorm additional survey questions. Feel free to customize and modify the questions to align with your specific needs.
Recall: Keep in mind that the more questions you include, the longer it will take for students to complete the survey, and the more time it will take for you to review the responses. Aim to keep your survey between 3-12 questions. If you find your list is getting too long, consider whether any questions may elicit similar answers and focus on the most critical areas where you need feedback. For example:
- If you’re simply checking in on students’ overall experience, a few targeted questions may suffice.
- If you want in-depth feedback on specific aspects of your teaching or course design, a longer survey may be more appropriate.
Next, create your survey using either a word processing tool or an online form platform (e.g., Microsoft Forms, Google Forms, Mentimeter, or even a paper-based option). Be sure to set your survey settings to collect responses anonymously, as this often leads to more honest and constructive feedback from students.
Survey Templates: Ready to Use!
The following two survey templates, created with Microsoft Forms, are available to you to duplicate, modify, and implement in your courses.
One template is recommended for small classes (https://tinyurl.com/MSFSmall) and the other is an option for larger classes (https://tinyurl.com/MSF-Large).
Feel free to adapt and make use of these as you see fit! Or you can create your own survey from scratch and input your selected questions.
Consider the logistical elements of administering your survey. Reflect on the following questions as you finalize your approach:
- How long will the survey be available for students to complete?
- When and how will you introduce it to the class?
- When will you set aside time to read and reflect on the responses?
- How and when will you follow up with students to share what you’ve learned and the changes they can expect?
Remember, you can use the Template – Slides for Feedback Debrief with Students to help guide your discussion with the class 1-2 weeks after collecting feedback.