Student Surveys
Issuing surveys on the first day of class awards me with information about students' career goals, experience in the subject, and personal interests - all variables that help me to develop a successful learning environment.
Hi Geoffrey,
Good strategy. Really helps you to get to know your students and where they are coming from.
Gary
In additon to the survey, I like to have a 5 minute session after students introduce themselves and do an ice breaker along with a class synopsisi of there career goals experience etc. so they know the general make up of the class. I do not share the personal survey info but I do a class summarry.
Hi Charles,
You offer several good strategies that I know will benefit other faculty members.
Thanks.
Gary
I agree with the concept of a verbal or written student survey as students start their training. It often allows the new student to validate why they are there and what their expectations for learning and success is. However, it should not stop there.
I believe that student surveys should be applied at designated intervals throughout their course of training. It is through their eyes and experiences in the classroom/lab environments that instructors receive necessary and critical feedback. This feedback often provides the platform for adjustments in order to meet the needs of the student(s). Sometimes the modifications are individual and some are for the colective classroom population.
As a result, we can see that we continue to assess our performances as well as meet the expectations and needs of our students throughout their course of training.
let us also not forget that graduate surveys are also very beneficial. Graduate Surveys provide feedback as to how our grdautes see the value of the training received and how and if it properly partners up with industry training requirements. As such, it provides administrators and instructors with the informed ability to adjust our training methods and processes for improved student retention and individual student success.
David Hall
Being an instructor in training basically; this would be very helpful to me.
Knowing and being aware in advance what exactly I am walking into,and being able to approach subject matter in a manner that would be most appropriate to the personality or level of learning of the class as a whole.
Student surveys are a great idea. I had thought of putting one together for our freshmen classes. I will definately implement this to gather a more informative back ground to help me individalize each student. Thanks!
Hi Jacinda,
I know you and your students will benefit from using this information. It will help you to establish some common ground with your students and create the needed rapport with them.
Gary
How do you suggest that we as instructors address the student who has " it out for the instructor"?
Hi Garry,
I have found the most effective way is to have a mediated conference with the student. A mediated conference is where you the instructor sets down with the student, along with another faculty member. You then can address the issues that are present with that student. The other faculty member is there to observe and listen just so there is not misunderstanding about what is being discussed. I also try to reach a solution to the situation so that mutually everyone can survive the class.
Gary
Surveys are a great tool! They inform you of potential problems and unrealistic goal expectations. They assist you in student redirection. And hopefully informs you of a particulat interest.
Very good idea!
We often hand out surveys for the students to fill out and lend feedback for our school and instructors, however, those are confidential between the student ond the organization.
I am going to implement student info surveys for my next class!
Hi Gary,
I think you are going to see how these student surveys can really be of help in your classes. They let you redirect the course if needed so you can really stay focused on the needs of the students.
Gary
Our school also issues a survey at the end of each course (we call them evaluations)Alot of times there are just opinions about how the student thinks the class should go or gripes about one of the student services offered. However there are also good tools for improvement that I have learned from these evealuations. Some of our instructors are offended by the evals. because they consider them an opinion of a punks kid. I believe that it is just the oposite in most cases. It is an opinion yes but sometimes other people have a good opinion that should be considered as an idea. I have improved my classromm over the past years by taking these ideas and making them work to my advantage.
I would agree, I used to have the students fill out a "first lecture survey" that was totally anonymous. I would then spend that first afternoon after class reading over the responses and make some adjustments from there. It really seamed to work out and help me to understand some of the student expectations without them having to speak in front of their classmates.
I like to include bonus questions on the midterms that ask what the students like or dislike about the class, so I can get feedback midway through the quarter. Then I can recalibrate according to student needs and likes.
Hi Gavin,
Good job with keeping your pulse on the class. By using the feedback from the students you can as you say recalibrate according to student needs. This is the sign of a focused and caring instructor. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Great Idea being as our surveys, aka EVALS, are given out at endphase,and we dont here from them for 3 weeks, (by then we have different students) My problem is ,if I am doing something wrong, I want to know NOW ,not 3 weeks later.
Yes, I agree, I always have general student introductions on the first day, and also introduce myself and related work experience as well. It helps establish a human element from the begining of the course. I also like the idea of occasionally having anynomous feedback/surveys on selected aspects of the course.
