Tip: Feedback You Can Use
Three questions that make mid-semester feedback actually useful
Many instructors collect mid-semester feedback but then feel unsure what to do with it. The problem is rarely the idea of feedback itself; it’s the questions we ask. When surveys focus on general satisfaction (“How is the course going?”), students tend to provide vague responses. When questions focus on learning processes, the feedback becomes far more actionable.
If you want mid-semester feedback that helps you adjust your course while there is still time, try centering your questions on learning experiences rather than course opinions. While I have a longer post here with a copy-able Google Forms feedback tool, for a short version I think these three questions work especially well:
What is helping you learn in this course?
This helps you identify practices that are working so you can reinforce them.
What is making learning more difficult than it needs to be?
Students often reveal barriers that instructors may not notice.
What is one suggestion that would improve your learning in this course?
Framing the question around learning encourages constructive responses rather than complaints.
Once you collect feedback, the most important step is to close the loop. Share a brief summary of what you heard and explain any changes you plan to make. Even when suggestions cannot be implemented, acknowledging them signals that student perspectives matter.
I think it’s really important not to be afraid of making changes mid-semester. If something isn’t working well, either for you or for your students, a small adjustment can make a big difference. Even if the feedback you get from students isn’t something you can immediately act on - I am reminded of concerns about the time of day the class met in years past, clearly not something I could change mid-semester! - simply letting students know that you’ve heard their feedback is helpful. Like all of us, students appreciate knowing their voices are heard.
More ways to connect with students…
