Dear Teachers,
It has been over a month since the second semester started (at least in UA&P), but whether or not you are observing the semestral arrangement that UA&P does (two mini-terms in a semester), the time to collect student feedback is now, not later.
The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning of Harvard University reminds us of the reasons why collecting a more thorough feedback from the students this early in the semester is helpful.
You provide yourself with the opportunity…
Maybe the students find the load unmanageable given their circumstances in this time of crisis. Maybe they could not pinpoint the real-world applications to the topic you are discussing. Maybe they want to be heard at least once every synchronous class because they feel all the more left out in this online learning. You would rather know these now when something can still be done to improve the students’ learning experiences rather than at the end of the semester, right? It does show that you care.
Yes, you got the whole course planned. However, if, based on your classroom assessment techniques and on a more formal early or midterm feedback form, you see that some things are not working out well, then certain adjustments would have to be made. This step improves not only the learning experience of the students but also your quality of teaching. The University of Washington’s Center for Teaching and Learning says, “All types of assessment are based on the principle that the more you understand how students are learning, the more effective your teaching will be.”
You cannot address all your students’ concerns, that’s for sure, but you can at least explain to your students why there has to be a group report or why they have to comment at least once on their fellow students’ opinions written on the discussion board. Discussing these things with the students helps improve the transparency in class. There will be times when you will have to stick to your plan (because it is necessary, not because it is convenient), but the students should be made aware of the rationale as it would guide their performance in class.
Tell them that their providing insightful feedback indicates their willingness to be responsible participants in the teaching-learning process that occurs in your class, and that you appreciate them for doing that.
To know more about what questions to ask, how to collect feedback, and how to process it, you may read the full article on “Early/Midterm Feedback” by the Bok Center here.#
References:
The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Early/midterm feedback. https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/early-or-midterm-feedback
University of Washington Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Gathering student feedback. https://teaching.washington.edu/topics/assessing-and-improving-teaching/gathering-student-feedback/
Banner photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
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