Get feedback from your students midway through your class through an in-person Midterm Small Group Feedback session. Schedule it during Weeks 4-6 of the quarter.
Small Group Feedback Session (SGFS) Overview
In a Small Group Feedback Session (SGFS), a trained evaluator comes to your class during the last 20 minutes and, in your absence, divides your students into small groups. Each group comes to a consensus on what is contributing to their learning in the class, what needs improvement, and (optional) what students themselves can do to improve the course. The evaluator summarizes these responses, making them as specific as possible and resolving or clarifying contradictions among groups, and presents them to you later in a private consultation.
Small Group Feedback Sessions (SGFS) focus student comments on high priority issues, resulting in results that are rich, specific, and readily translatable into productive course changes.
What students say about Small Group Feedback Session (SGFS): a Stanford Daily story
SCHEDULE YOURS FOR WEEKS 4-6 OF THE QUARTER. After that, it'll be too late to put into practice what you learn. Also, please submit your request at least one week prior to your desired Feedback session date. (For faculty only, you may make your request with shorter notice if necessary, and we'll try to fulfill it, but we can't promise.)
Grad students and TAs: be sure to use the second button to schedule a SGFS. And if you're running more than one section, feel free to schedule an SGFS for each one.
Schedule my SGFS (Faculty, lecturers, postdocs)
For teaching teams that include both grads and faculty, the faculty member should submit the request, using the Faculty/Lecturer/Postdoc button.
Respond
- Clarify any confusions or misunderstandings about your goals and their expectations.
- Give a brief account of which of their suggestions you will act upon this term, which must wait until the course is next offered, and which you will not act upon and why.
- Let students know what they can do as well. For example, if students report that they are often confused, invite them to ask questions more often.
- Keep your tone and attitude neutral; avoid being defensive, indignant, or unduly apologetic.
- Finally, thank your students for their comments and invite their ongoing participation in helping you improve the course. Students appreciate knowing that an instructor has carefully considered what they have said.
