Center for Teaching and Learning

Mid-Semester Feedback

 

The Center for Teaching and Learning and Information Technology Services offer an online system for faculty to receive feedback from currently enrolled students at the mid-point of the semester. Mid-semester feedback offers faculty an opportunity to know, use, and respond to students' sentiments while the semester is in progress so that instructors and students can benefit from adjustments and modifications made in response. This system is completely electronic. Only you have access to the data. Research demonstrates that end of semester course evaluations are stronger for faculty who use and pay attention to early feedback from their students.

After the registration period closes on 10/04/2011, students in registered courses will receive an e-mail message via student mail requesting them to complete the online survey. Only you have access to the feedback. You can watch the results accumulate online (and, if necessary, remind your students to check their student mail and complete the survey). Please contact Dr. Peggy Cohen (314-516-7133) if you have questions about mid-semester feedback or would like to schedule a personal consultation.

Register for Mid-Semester Course Feedback

  1. Why ask my students to offer mid-semester feedback?

Research shows that mid-semester feedback

  • Improves communication between student and instructor.
  • Increases student motivation.
  • Improves student learning.
  • Assists instructors in tailoring the course to student needs.
  • Improves end-of-semester evaluations.
  1. Do I have to use the service in all of my courses?

When you log into the system you will see a list of the courses you are currently teaching. You may select which courses to include.

  1. Who may request mid-semester feedback services for a course?

Two people may request feedback for a course. (1) Instructors of record may request feedback. (2) Professors who work with Teaching Assistants are required to request feedback for the TA(s).

  1. Why has the University of Missouri included Teaching Assistants in mandatory mid-semester feedback?

This allows the campus to comply with the University of Missouri Instructional Communication Policy (CR & R 330.090) to assess instructors' communication skills. If you are a Teaching Assistant in this course, be advised that the Instructor of Record, Graduate Program Director, and the Graduate Dean may have access to your data as they implement the policy

  1. How do I prepare my students to participate?

It is helpful to announce in class that you have signed up to participate in a campus service that compiles students' feedback at the mid-point in the semester. Explain that you have registered the class and that they will be receiving an e-mail message in their student mail accounts that contains instructions for completing the survey. Indicate why their feedback is important to you and why you are participating. Ask them to complete the survey when they receive the message. Remind them again before the survey site closes. The timeline will be posted on line. There are deadlines for registering for the service so that all students are notified at the same time about the open and final response dates. Remind students that they will only receive this message in their student mail accounts.

  1. Why isn't a course of mine listed as a choice to request mid-semester feedback?

This may be an indication that you are not properly assigned as the instructor of record by your department. To make the changes needed in your assignment, please ask your department assistant to contact Diana Johnson in Registration by phone 314.516.5679 or by e-mail: djohnson@umsl.edu

  1. Who has access to my students' results?

You are the only person who has access to these results. We recommend telling your students why you chose to participate. After you view the results online at the same login address as you used to register, we recommend telling students how you plan to use their feedback this semester or in future semesters. If you would like to discuss the results with a consultant, please contact Dr. Peggy Cohen (314-516-7133)

  1. How do I see my results?

Login to the secure web page with your SSO ID and password, as you did when registering to participate. Preliminary results are available as soon as any student has responded. Once the date has passed for student participation, the system will indicate that the results are final.

  1. Whom may I contact for help as I use the mid-semester feedback request system?

Contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at 314-516-4508.

 

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