Why collect midterm feedback?

“Incorporating opportunities for students to provide mid-semester course evaluations allows instructors to collect formative feedback from students, which can provide valuable insights regarding the impact and efficacy of course components on student learning” (Hurney, p. 55).

Now that the semester is underway, you may be wondering how students perceive your course is going; what is working well; what struggles students might be experiencing; and what adjustments could be made to improve the learning process. A midterm feedback session allows you to gather responses from students that might lead to changes that positively impact the student learning experience. This activity offers you the opportunity to reflect on your teaching at a time when adjustments may be most impactful (see Chapter 4 of Brookfield’s Four Lenses: Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher for more information).

It has long been noted in the literature that a well-implemented midterm feedback session and the resulting change can increase student engagement, improve student attitude, enrich student learning, as well as improve end-of-semester evaluations of teaching (Payette & Brown, 2018).

How can the CTSE help you?

Midterm feedback sessions provide an opportunity to collect anonymous feedback from students using a research-based protocol that is intended to help instructors make timely adjustments to promote and enhance student learning.

The following questions will be used to anonymously collect student feedback:

• What helps your learning in this course?
• What hinders your learning in this course? What are your recommendations for improvement?
• What might you do personally to improve your learning in the course?

Student responses to these questions will be gathered into a confidential report. Once it’s ready, we’ll discuss the results with you and together we will develop ideas for improvement based on the student feedback. Research has shown that faculty members who conduct mid-course feedback and have a consultation raise their end-of-semester evaluations and improve learning.

What is the process?

The CTSE will schedule a time to visit your classroom to collect feedback from your students. After compiling students’ responses into a confidential report, we’ll meet with you to discuss the feedback and possible courses of action.

What is a good time to collect feedback?

Generally speaking, a good time to collect the feedback is midway through the term; however, you may want to collect feedback as soon as a quarter to a third of the way through the term. This is especially helpful when teaching a course in a learning environment that is new to you and new to your students.

Collecting feedback close to administering an exam or the return of a major assignment may not be the best time to collect feedback. Students may focus more on the test/assignment rather than the course, as a whole.

Tips for talking to your students about midterm feedback

This section provides tips to help you clarify to your students why you are offering them an opportunity to give you midterm feedback, what you hope to accomplish, and how you plan to respond to students’ suggestions afterward. It includes tips for what to tell students before the feedback session and tips for what to tell students after you get the report.

Tips for before the feedback session

1. Let students know the three questions they will be asked, and that their responses are anonymous. They will be asked:
   • What helps their learning in this course?
   • What hinders their learning in this course?
   • What might they do to personally improve their own learning in the course
   • Explain that the process is a confidential one and that you will not know who gave which responses.
2. Explain that shortly after the feedback session, you will meet with CTSE staff (if you choose to do so) to review the results. After that, you will come back to the students to discuss what they said, as well as what changes you plan to make, what changes you will not be making, and why.

Tips for after the midterm evaluation

1. Talk to students about their responses/suggestions the very next class after you have met with CTSE staff for your feedback meeting. That way, your students will know you care enough to get back to them as soon as possible. It is also an opportunity to clarify their input and respond to their concerns. Additionally, it will give you the chance to discuss any changes you plan to make to the class during the current semester.
2. Thank students for their participation in the process.
3. Give them a summary of what you understood from the report. Include ranges of opinion (“some of you felt strongly that we need more frequent quizzes, while a significant proportion didn’t seem to find this necessary”), so students understand where there may be differing viewpoints among their peers.
4. Clarify questions you have. For instance, if students state that the lecture seems “disorganized,” find out what parts seem that way and what they think you could do to make it feel more organized and clearer to them.
5. Reiterate each of the main responses that students gave to each of the three questions. Include what they feel is going well with the course, and underscore what they said they can do to improve their learning. Tell them which suggested improvements you have chosen to implement, how, and why. Also tell them which suggestions you have chosen not to implement, and your rationale for making the choices you have in conducting the class.
6. If you feel comfortable, encourage student responsibility in helping make course decisions. For instance, if you are considering modifying an upcoming assignment based on their feedback, you may want to take a class vote about whether students would like this change or would prefer to keep the original assignment.
7. Tell students that they will have another chance, at the end of the term, to evaluate the class – including any revisions that were made as a result of this process – using the standard end-of-term forms.
8. Once again, entertain students’ questions about the process. Invite students to talk with you individually if they have further concerns.

Resources

• Brookfield, S. (2017). Becoming a critically reflective teacher (Second edition). Jossey-Bass.
• Cohen, P. A. (1980). Effectiveness of Student-Rating Feedback for Improving College Instruction: A Meta-Analysis of Findings. Research in Higher Education, 13(4), 321-341.
• Hurney, C.A., Harris, N. L., Prins, S. C., & Kruck, S.E. (2014). The Impact of a Learner-Centered, Mid-Semester Course Evaluation on Students. The Journal of Faculty Development, 28, 55-62.
• Miller, Ben (March 2010). Brookfield’s Four Lenses: Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher from Brookfield, Stephen (1995) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. Jossey-Bass.
• Murray, H. G. (2007). Low-inference teaching behaviors and college teaching effectiveness: Recent developments and controversies. In R. P. Perry & J. C. Smart (Eds.), The scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education: An evidence-based perspective (pp. 145-200). Springer.
• Murray, H.G., & Smith, T.A. (1989). Effects of Midterm Behavioral Feedback on End-of-term Ratings of Instructor Effectiveness. Paper presented at annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, San Francisco.
• Payette, P. R., & Brown, M. K. (January 2018). Gathering mid-semester feedback: Three variations to improve instruction. IDEA Paper #67.